Acoustic 3
by jules456
Summary: EPILOGUE!
1. They painted up your secrets

Acoustic #3

Prologue: "They painted up your secrets"

Twenty Two year old Lucas Scott walked into a run down diner in the small town of Wexford South Carolina, and took a seat at a booth towards the back of the restaurant.

He wiped his forehead as sweat dripped down his face.

He had picked a perfect place to stop. He was driving down from New York where he went to school at Columbia, where he was planning on majoring in English, to Florida where he was to attend Nathan and Haley's wedding.

Nathan and Haley had both attended college in San Francisco, and then moved to Miami, after graduation. Lucas was the only one who had chosen to go to grad school.

Nobody knew anything about Brooke. She had gone to LA seeking fame after high school, and lost touch. And then there was Peyton, she was another story. She had left early in her Senior year after the death of her father.

Nobody knew where she went, or had heard from her since. Her leaving became a sore subject in thr town of Tree Hill. After she left you would still hear the name "Peyton Sawyer", around town occasionally, until it became less and less and eventually just faded out.

Lucas took Peyton leaving harder than anyone else, although he wouldn't admit it. He continued to date Brooke until graduation, although he was never able to give her his heart. What he got out of the relationship was physicality, that made him feel normal again after Peyton leaving. While he is able to push her out of his coherent thoughts she often torments him in his dreams. Not torments him in the sense that she comes to him and attacks him. The torment lay within a smile, or a tear, that he believe he would never see again… until that day…

He heard a soft humming coming from behind where he was sitting. The song sounded like the itsy bitsy spider and without even being aware of it Lucas began to sing along.

"The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout…" He sang softly, or at least what he thought was soft until he heard a giggle come from behind the booth.

Lucas peeked over the edge of the booth and stared down at the top of a curly blonde head. The child was sitting in the booth behind Lucas with crayons sprawled out in front of him, but he was only using black…

"Your picture is good." Lucas said to the little boy.

"Thanks." The child said without looking up from his work.

Suddenly there was a voice that called out to the child.

"Spencer!"

The voice was familiar to Lucas. Peyton? No, he was just hallucinating. It had been a long drive and he was tired… right?

He was broken out of his reverie when the little boy bolted past him, and out of the door. And he saw him hop into a car… that car… Peytons car…

Nathan sat there until the waitress came over.

"You okay?" She asked him

"Yeah… 's just that kid left his stuff…"

"Aw Spencer, he'll be back."

"How do you know?" Lucas asked

"His mother works here." She said. "May I take your order."

"No." Lucas drew out gruffly. "I will wait for his mother to serve me…"

"But hes dropping him off at school, it may be awhile-"

"I said I'll wait." Lucas said somewhat snapping at the waitress but too caught up in his thoughts to care… 

Was that Peyton's son? It was the only explanation, unless he was going out of his mind. And if it were Peytons son… that means it was his son too… right…?


	2. With the lies they told to you

Chapter 1: "With the lies they told to you"

Hey guys. I am pretty proud of how this story is going. I am pretty into it, and that surprised me. This chap is a bit longer. Expect another one soon. R&R!

Xoxo HaLeY

~Peyton pulled up in front of the Early Start pre-school. 

"Alright Spence, come on." She said opening up his door.

"I DON'T WANNA GO!" He yelled

"Come on Spencer I CAN NOT do this today!"

"Then just take me back to the diner with you!"

"You know I can't do that Spencer."

"I'M NOT GOING!" He yelled  


"SPENCER GET OUT OF THE CAR RIGHT NOW BEFORE I HAVE TO PULL YOU OUT!" Peyton yelled

Parents and children alike had began to stare at the scene the two were making.

"NO!" Spencer screamed

"Fine then, we will do this the hard way." Peyton unbuckled him as he kicked and screamed and yanked him up with one arm and dragged him into the school kicking and screaming.

"Miss. Sawyer." The teacher said when she entered with the now half calm boy. 

"I'm sorry, someone is having a bad morning." She said glaring down at her young son, who just glared back at her.

The two were often mistaken for brother and sister.

Peyton walked back out to her car and slammed her head against the steering wheel in frustration.

Parents began to beep at her.

"I'M GOING!" She yelled to nobody.

Lucas stared out of the window waiting for Peyton's car to re-appear. When it did Lucas was already at the car door before Peyton got the chance to open it.

"Lucas…" She said.

"I think we need to talk." He said rationally as she climbed out of the car.

"We have nothing to talk about Lucas."

"Yes we do."

"No we don't Luke. We're over! We never even began! Now I really need to get to work."

"No Peyton." He grabbed her arm. "WE need to talk!"

Lucas could see in her eyes that nothing changed. She still had up the wall, the wall that he thought he broke down so many years ago.

"Spencer, is he mine?" Lucas asked, as Peyton flung around and looked him in the eye.

"How do you know about Spencer?"

"It doesn't matter." Luke said stepping closer to her. "Is he mine?"

"Of course not." Peyton said through clenched teeth. "I really need to get to work."

"How can he not be mine! Remeb-"

"It never happened." Peyton said as she pushed past him and into the restaurant.

Peyton went about working today dully. What were the chances that Lucas ended up here? In this town? In her diner? 

"Where's my coffee!" A heavy set trucker yelled at her.

Peyton rolled her eyes as she set the cup next to him. And felt as though she was going to throw up when she turned around to walk away and felt a hand slap her butt.

"Are you alright?" Gladys another waitress asked her when Peyton came behind the counter.

"I have a migraine like a mother." Peyton said leaning her head against the wall, as Gladys tossed her a bottle of aspirin.

"So who was that guy that was lookin' fo' you earlier?"

"Nobody." Peyton said, her eyes clenched shut

"Nobody was pretty handsome." Gladys said winking

"Nobody is the past."

"Is this nobody a certain Spencer's father?"

That is when Peyton looked and met Gladys' eyes. 

"OH MY GOD! I FORGOT TO PICK HIM UP!"

Peyton ran into the bathroom and pulled off her uniform and changed into her normal attire. A pair of jeans, and a white long sleeve shirt with a black shirt over it, with one print or another on it, and a pair of old red tennis shoes, and then grabbed her jacket and ran out the door.

Peyton raced up the stairs and then into the office of the pre-school. 

"I am so sorry that I am late honey." She said kneeling down to where Spencer was sitting, drawing, not meeting her eyes.

The principal was giving her a strange look.

"Come on Spence, lets get out of here."

Spencer didn't say a whole word on the way to the car.

"How was school?"

"Okay…"

"What did you do?"

Spencer shrugged, and then pulled a picture out of his Batman backpack.

"I drew this for you." He said.

"Thanks. Spencer." Peyton said smiling.

He smiled as she studied the picture. He was a good artist for his age. At night he would sit beside Peyton and the two would draw together. Both only in black…

"Mom, look." Spencer said

"What?" Peyton said becoming alarmed.

"STOP THE CAR!" Spencer yelled

Peyton slammed on the breaks just in time to stop 6 feet away from Lucas.

"Oh my god." She said putting her head on the steering wheel. "Is fate completely screwing me over today?" She yelled

"Are you okay?"

Peyton hated this role reversal. She hated the fact that at times her child felt the need to take care of HER.

"I'm fine. Just stay in the car." Peyton said kissing his forehead and stepping out. "You trying to get yourself killed?" 

"My car stalled awhile down the road."

"And that is reason to jump out in front of my car, and scare the heck out of my kid why?" Peyton said.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to freak you out. It is just that my phones not charged, and so I couldn't call a tow truck, and I don't know where a gas station is…"

Suddenly it began to rain.

"MOM!" Spencer yelled out of the car window.

"Come with me Lucas, my house is right up the road." Peyton said not looking him in the eye.

Lucas climbed into the front seat with Peyton, and then turned around to face Spencer…

"Hey, I'm Luke." Lucas said smiling

"Spencer." Spencer said staring hard at Luke, as though he were assessing him.


	3. And the lest they ever gave you, was the...

Hey,

I am completely in love with this chapter! I really want your reviews for this one! Also, requests are always appreciated. I want to hear what YOU want, hence the need for reviews! Thanks for reading!

Xoxo HaLeY

Chapter 2: "And the least they ever gave you, was the most you ever knew"

They pulled up to a two floor apartment building in a very run down part of the town.

"I don't want you to get wet." Peyton said as she handed her son her jacket to hold over his head as he went inside.

The three sloshed in the mud as they ran into the building, for the parking lot only consisted of dirt, and small pebbles.

They walked to the far back of the first floor, and down a flight of stairs, and took off their shoes outside of apartment #4, Peyton and Spencer's home.

Peyton turned to Lucas before they entered.

"Sorry about the mess. I am not one for house keeping." She said expressionlessly.

Lucas nodded as Peyton unlocked the door.

"Go and get changed up buddy so you don't get a cold." Peyton warned her son, who nodded and disappeared around the corner somewhere.

When they entered the doorway they were in a rather large room. The walls were painted a deep maroon color, which was no surprise to Lucas. There were sketches and drawings hung all over the walls. On one wall there was a sink, and a counter, squished in next to them was a refrigerator. There was a small table for two, where sat two wooden chairs. Against the far wall there was an old brown couch, where stuffing was coming out from random places, and against the right wall, there was a bed, with a black bed spread. There was a small corner by the foot of the bed, that when you walked around it you found two doors. One to the bathroom, and the other to Spencer's room.

Lucas and Peyton stood in an awkward silence until Spencer re-entered the room. 

"Mom, I left the picture I drew for you in the car." Spencer said worried.

"Do you really want me to get it tonight?"

Spencer gave her puppy dog eyes. Lucas recognized the eyes… those were the eyes he practiced in the mirror, and perfected, so that as a young child he could get whatever he wanted from his mother. The look that Spencer gave Peyton sent chills up Lucas's spine.

"Alright, I will be right back." She said heading out the door.

Lucas came further in as Peyton left out. Spencer pulled a black crayon out from under the table and began to draw. 

"So, … what do you like to do?" Lucas asked Spencer

"I like to draw…"

"What else?"

He shrugged.

"Do you do anything else?"

As Spencer shook his head no, his curly head of blonde hair bounced.

"Maybe I will take you out to play basketball sometime."

A smile crept onto Spencer's face.

"Really?!" He asked as Peyton entered the apartment sopping wet. Her rain soaked hair hung dully around her face, no longer in curls, but waves.

"Yeah." Lucas said joining the boy on the floor as he colored.

Peyton watched the scene from the doorway.

"Spencer, it's bed time."

"But it's onl-!"

"It's bed time." Peyton said as she walked over to her son and picked him up. "Say goodnight to Lucas."

"Goodnight." Spencer said to him, with a small smile, as Peyton carried him back to his room.

She laid the small boy down in his bed.

"Alright, is there anything you need?" She asked.

He shook his head no.

"Alright baby, I love you. See you in the morning."

She switched off the light.

"Mom." She heard a small voice call her as she was about to close the door.

"Yeah Spence." She responded

"Is Lucas going to be here tomorrow?" 

"I'm not sure." Peyton said as she closed the door, and she re-entered the living room.

Lucas was looking around the room. Peyton opened a drawer and tossed him some pajama pants, and one of her wife beaters, that would fit him well. 

"I didn't realized how wet you were." Peyton tossed him the clothes "The bathroom is around the corner."

"Thanks." Lucas said balling the clothes up in his hand and retreated to the bathroom head down.

When he came back into the living room he saw Peyton kneeling at the coffee table sketching.

"You can take the bed." She said simply

"The couch is cool-"

"That couch isn't fit for rats." She said

"So where will you sleep?"

"In the back with Spencer."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

She said switching off her light and heading to the bed room.

"Goodnight Lucas."

"Goodnight Peyton."

As soon as she was out of the room Lucas took the opportunity to look around at the drawings on the walls. There was one in particular that caught his eye.

It was of a young girl with curly blonde hair, holding the hand of a much younger curly haired boy. There was no mistaking those two, it was Peyton and Spencer. But where they were standing was what really caught his eye. It was the basketball court. The place where he spent so many years.

The picture made Lucas question the paternity of Spencer's father even more. The next day was Saturday, and Lucas intended to get to the bottom of this, but until then he had no choice but to sleep.

Lucas awoke the next morning to hear hushed voices.

"Spencer, you are being too loud. You are going to wa-"

Lucas got out of bed.

"It's alright, I'm awake."

Spencer grinned down at his bowl of cereal.

"Do you want me to drop you off at the auto park to pick up your car on my way to work?"

"You have to work today?"

"She works everyday." Spencer mumbled.

"Yeah. What are you going to do with Spencer."

"He's going to come with me."

"He can come with me." Lucas offered making Spencer's eyes light up.

"Oh please mom can I-"

"Lucas I-"

"Really Peyton I don't mind. We can have a guys day."

"I've never had a guys day before! Please!" Spencer begged.

Peyton did the lopsided grin, that Spencer also displayed. 

"Yeah, it's cool."

"YES!" Spencer said excitedly.

Peyton hesitantly dropped off the boys for their "guys day."

"Don't worry Peyt." Lucas said as Spencer ran into the auto shop. "We'll stop by for lunch."

Her worries were eased.

"Now get out of here before you're late." Lucas urged her.

"Thanks Luke." 

"Anytime."

Lucas and Spencer picked up his car.

"So where are we going now?" Spencer asked

"It's a surprise." Lucas said smiling

"I don't like surprises!" He whined sounding just like his mother

"You will like this one." Lucas promised him

Minutes later they pulled up at a basketball court that Lucas had seen when they were passing through town.

Spencer was grinning from ear to ear.

"Come on!" Lucas said as they raced each other across the court.

They were out there for almost two hours. Lucas taught Spencer how to hold a ball and shoot, and dribble…

Peyton began to get nervous when Lucas and Spencer did not show up around lunch time. It wasn't that she thought Lucas was going to kidnap him or anything, it was just that she was not used to having to share her son with anybody. They were each others only family.

She was broken out of her thoughts when Lucas entered hand in hand with Spencer.

"Mom!" Spencer said running to her and hugging her.

"Hey, did you have a good time with Lucas?"

"Yeah, we played basketball!" He said smiling 

Peyton looked up at Lucas.

"Thanks." She said. "What do you all want for lunch?"

"Today you are not serving us, you are joining us." Lucas said with a smile.

"Alright." Peyton said taking off her apron.

They sat down together and ate, and laughed, and had an all around good time. They relaxed when they were done.

"Lucas you heading out now?"

"Not just yet, I was going to stick around until you are done with work. Spencer and I are not done with our boys day yet."

"We're not yet!" Spencer said, anxious at what was to come.

"Nope."

"Are you sure?" Peyton said shocked at his gestures.

"Yep. Thank you for the lunch." He said as he and Spencer headed back out.

They spent the rest of the afternoon at the arcade, playing video games. Spencer had the time of his life, although he was talking about playing basketball the entire time. He was a natural, just like Lucas.

When Peyton got off of work that night she left the diner, and saw Spencer and Lucas sitting on the hood of his car, both eating ice cream cones as the sun set above them.

The scene broke her heart… her son, … and his father…

R&R, I want your requests!


	4. And you wonder where these dreams go, Wh...

Hey, I am loving the support for this story. Anyhow read on, I think it is a pretty funny chapter, and Spencer becomes a little master mind. READ AND REVIEW! Enjoy!

Xoxo HaLey

Chapter 3: "And I wonder where these dreams go, When the world gets in your way."

"Hey!" Lucas said as Petyon approached him.

"Hey." Peyton said roughly rubbing his curly hair.

"Mom!" Spencer said blushing pushing her hand away.

"So I guess you should be heading where ever you are going now."

Then it suddenly occurred to Peyton that she didn't even have an idea why he was there in the first place. They had spent a lot of time together the past two days, but knew shockingly little about one another now.

"Actually, I have some time, if you and Spencer want to go grab a bite to eat."

"No it's-"

"It's my way of saying thank you for letting me stay at your place last night."

"Spencer is tired an-"

"AM NOT!" The little boy piped up.

"Seems okay to me." Lucas said.

Peyton thought for a moment.

"Alright." She said smiling. "We can go in my car." She offered

"Yeah, that's cool." Lucas said.

They climbed into Peytons car. Spencer noticed Lucas' keys hanging out of his pocket and took that opportunity to grab them.

"Mom! I forgot my crayons in the diner!"

"Want me to go get them for you?"

"No, I can."

"Alright honey, hurry up."

They watched the curly haired boy run into the diner.

When Spencer was inside he looked out of the window to make sure that they were not watching him. When he saw they were no longer looking he slipped out of the back door.

"Hey." He said to the homeless man that was always huddled in the corner where you could feel the heat of the ovens.

When Peyton was working Spencer often snuck him food from the kitchen.

"Hey Spence." The old man said smiling showing his missing teeth.

"Yanno how ya tol' me ya wanted to visit your daughter fo' her birf'day but you didn't have no way to get there?" Spencer said sweetly.

"Yeah." He said looking up at the little boy as he tossed him a pair of keys.

"It's the black car over there." He said gesturing. "Drive it to go visit her?"

"You sure kid?"

"Yeah." Spencer said

The man contemplated it. Why would he take a car from a kid? But he had not seen his daughter in 4 years.

"Alright kid." He said

"She live out of Wexford?"

"Who?"

"Your daughter?"

"Yeah, way out in Cali."

"Good. Don't bother to bring it back." Spencer said.

"Thanks kid."

Spencer ran back to the car, and the man wobbled out of the alley.

"You find them?" Peyton asked her son.

"Nope. 'S alright. I got more at home."

"Spence, you really need to start keeping track of your stuff."

"I will more, promise!"

And with that Peyton pulled out of the parking lot.

Lucas and Peyton sat in the booth of the restaurant talking late into the night.

"So you went to Colombia?" Peyton asked taking a sip of her coffee.

"Yeah. How about you? Did you go to school?"

She looked down at Spencer who was asleep on her lap.

"Didn't get much of a chance to." She said gently rubbing his curly hair.

"That boy's got a nice free throw." Lucas commented.

Peyton smiled to herself.

"So his father-"

"Is not around." Peyton said finishing his sentence.

"Peyton, are you sure that he is not mi-"

"Lucas, back off of it okay? He is MY son, not yours."

"Yeah I know that he is yours but you did not make him on your own!"

"But I raised him on my own, so therefore he is MINE!" She said raising her voice causing Spencer to stir. He decided to change the subject. "So what brought you to Wexford?"

"Passing through on the way to Jake and Haley's wedding."

"Wow! Those two are tying the knot already?" She said

"Yeah. You and Spencer should come with me."

"No. I can't do that."

"Why not?"

"I have to work!"

"All that you ever do is work!"

"Well then let Spencer come with me." Luke suggested.

"Look Luke, I get what you are trying to do, but I do not need a knight in shining armor."

"I'm not trying to b-," He cut himself off, "just think about it?" 

Peyton nodded.

"I'll think about it."

The drive back to the diner to pick up Luke's car was silent.

"Thanks for dinner." Peyton said as she got out of the car.

"Anytime. Maybe I will see you on my way back."

Peyton nodded, smiling slightly. Lucas then leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Are you sure that you do not want to come with me?" He said

"Yeah. I got my responsibilities here in Wexford Scott. Go and enjoy yourself, tell Nate and Haley congrats."

"Will do." 

Then Luke turned around.

"Where the hell is my car?" He said

Peyton and Lucas started frantically looking around the parking lot for the car.

"Someone stole my fucking car!" He said. then he noticed that he didn't have his keys. "I must have dropped my keys when I was out here before with Spencer.

Peyton groaned. 

"It's okay Luke." She said. "We can file a report, and then you can just come back to my place for the night again."

"Are you su-"

"No problem."

~ Coming Up:

- Will they find the car?

-What lengths will Spencer got through to keep Lucas around? Will Peyton catch on

-Will Luke find out the truth

- Haley and Nathan's WEDDING!


	5. What's the point in all this screaming?

Hey, this is another one of those "set up", chapters. Lots of foreshadowing. Anyways, read and review. This chap is kind of choppy on the details, but only because all of this has to be explained and there is not much to go there. Lol. Read and Review, and Request!

Xoxo HaLeY

Chapter 4: "What's the point in all this screaming?"

Lucas and Peyton stepped out of the car in silence when they arrived back at the apartment complex.

Peyton reached into the backseat, to get sleeping Spencer.

"I can get him." Lucas offered

"No. It's cool." Peyton insisted.

~Peyton laid her son down on his bed… well what was kind of a bed, Spencer slept on a mattress on the floor. It actually suited him well with his tendency to fall out of bed and all. Peyton remembered countless mornings when she would find her son halfway across his room.

Maybe it was because Spencer never had a crib… When he was born Peyton c

ouldn't afford one. He would just lay on the bed tucked in the crook of her arm. Then it became pointless to get him one, because he would grow out of it. So she saved up to get him the mattress, it was brand new. The only new thing that she really owned.

Lucas was sitting on the bed when Peyton came back out to the living room.

"So, did you ever graduate high school?"

Peyton regretted that she had to shake her head no.

"No, knew I was having Spencer so I had to work to save up money." She explained. "But a couple of years ago I got my GED."

"Good." Lucas said

There was an awkward silence.

"Look Peyton, you could have stayed. You know that we would have all been there to help you!"

"IT IS NOT THAT EASY LUKE!"

"Did you forget about my mom? She was no older then you when she had me, and look at her now!"

"If you are about to even criticize how I choose to live my life, or how I raise my son then I suggest that you find another bed for the night because I am not trying to hear it!" She said

"Peyton, Spencer is a great kid. I know I would not have been able to raise him on my own."

Peyton looked at Lucas with empty eyes.

"I am going to bed now." She said.

That night Peyton fell asleep crying gentle tears into Spencer's soft curls.

Lucas awoke the next morning to an quiet apartment… He sat up in bed and rubbed his eyes. It took awhile for him to process where he was. 

He crept out of the bed, heading to the bathroom. He passed Spencers door, which was cracked opened slightly.

He peeked his head in the room. Peyton was lying on the mattress against the wall with her young son held close to her. Their faces were so close together Lucas could have sworn that their noses were touching. Spencer had an arm wrapped lovingly around his mothers neck.

Lucas had never seen Peyton show love… real love for anyone, except her father. He often worried about her after he died… he worried that her heart had grown hard and cold… but Spencer may have been the thing that saved her, that kept her going, the love that she lived for.

Lucas left the two, and went to the bathroom where he took a quick shower. When he went back out to the living room Spencer was sitting on the bed.

"Hey." Lucas said.

"Hey."

"Is your mom still asleep?" Lucas asked

"Yeah."

"Doesn't she have to work?"

"I called and said she was sick." Spencer said.

"Do you think she will be mad?" Lucas asked approaching the boy. Spencer shrugged.

"How do you know my mommy?"

"We were friends in high school." Lucas said not meeting the boys eye.

"Are you still friends?" He asked looking up at the older man.

"We are." Lucas said looking down at the small child.

Peyton came out of the bedroom later to find Lucas and Spencer at the table with huge stacks of pancakes in front of them.

"What the heck is going on?"

"We made you breakfast!" Spencer said, batter matted in his hair.

"Oh shit, I am an hour late for work!" Peyton said

"'S o'tay, I tol' Gladys you're sick." Spencer said smiling.

Lucas got up from the table and set a plate of pancakes down, gesturing for Peyton to sit.

"Any word on your car yet?"

"No. The police said that they have my license plate in the system, but can't do much more than that now. They are going to call me if it turns up."

"So how are you going to get to the wedding?" Peyton asked.

"Well I was thinking that you and Spence could just come down with me."

"Are you out of your mind? I thought we talked about this last night. I have work." Peyton explained.

"So? I bet you have never taken a vacation!" Lucas said

"Mommy please!" Spencer begged.

"Spencer this is between Lucas and I."

Spencer pouted.

"I cannot afford to take anytime off, alright? So drop it." She said.

Spencer and Lucas looked at each other.

"Thanks for breakfast." Peyton muttered under her breath.

It rained that entire day. There was nowhere for them to go and nothing for them to do. 

Peyton and Lucas spent the whole day ignoring each other, well Peyton ignored Lucas. The tension went unnoticed by Spencer. He was thrilled when he and Lucas sat on the floor in front of a small TV and watched a basketball game. Peyton on the other hand sat in the corner sketching… in all black…

Soon enough the sun set and it was Monday morning, which meant Peyton had work, and Spencer had school, … and Lucas would be left up to his own devices.

"Hey. Can I use your car? I was going to stop by the police station." Lucas said.

"The sooner he is gone the better." Peyton thought.

"Yeah." She said. "Come on, we can't be late." She said as they all rushed out of the door.

"Do you want me to drop you at work now?" Lucas said

"Well Spencer has to go-"

"I will drop him after you." Lucas offered.

"Sure, whatever."

They dropped off Peyton, who gave Spencer a kiss goodbye and then Lucas made his way to the pre-school.

"Ready Buddy?"

"NO!" Spencer insisted.

Lucas was shocked. He had never heard the boy speak like that.

"Why don't you want to go?"

"'cause." He said pouting.

"There has to be a reason." Lucas said.

"They make fun of me." Spencer mumbled.

"Who?"

"Tommy, and Sam."

"Why?" Lucas asked turning to the boy.

"They say I got no Daddy." Spencer said sadly.

"Kids said the sa me thing to me too." Lucas said.

"Really?"

"Yeah. My dad wasn't around when I was little either."

"Wat'd you do?" Spencer asked looking up at him.

"Nothing. I knew I was better than that. I knew my mommy loved me enough for a mommy and a daddy." Lucas explained. "Pe-, your mom loves you so much. You know that right?"

"Yeah." Spencer said.

"Do you want me to walk you in?" Lucas asked.

Spencer nodded, and climbed out of the car after Lucas.

"This is my class." Spencer said stopping at the door.

"Alright, I will be back here at 4:30." Lucas promised hugging the boy.

"Can we watch the game after school?" Spencer asked hopefully.

"Yeah buddy, bye. Have a good day." He said as he left the class room.

The two boys, Tommy, and Sam came up to Spencer.

"Who was that?" They asked

"My dad." Spencer said simply.

"You ain't got no daddy!"

"Do too!" Spencer said.

"DO NOT!" Sam said pushing him.

With that Spencer whipped out his fist hitting Sam straight in the nose and kicked Tommy right in the shin… 


	6. No one's listening anyway

Hey! I so forgot to explain to you about the name of this story. It is supposed to say Acoustic # 3, but I don't think that you can put those signs in titles. Anyway, the title, like with all of my stories it after "Acoustic # 3", by the Goo-Goo dolls, a really good song btw, you should check it out. Each chapter is a line or two of the lyrics, depending on what I see fitting. Anyway, thanks for the support. The REVIEWS are what get you more chapters btw. So REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW…. Please

Xoxo HaLeY

Chapter 5: "No one's listening anyway"

__

Last Chapter:

The two boys, Tommy, and Sam came up to Spencer.

"Who was that?" They asked

"My dad." Spencer said simply.

"You ain't got no daddy!"

"Do too!" Spencer said.

"DO NOT!" Sam said pushing him.

With that Spencer whipped out his fist hitting Sam straight in the nose and kicked Tommy right in the shin… 

Lucas was only half way own the hall when he heard the commotion in Spencer's classroom.

He turned around to go back to check out what was going on, when he saw three young boys fall through the door, followed by the teacher who was trying to separate them.

"Spencer!" Lucas said running to him and pulling him out of the fight by the back of his shirt.

Spencer's face was beat red, and his face was tear stained. He had a little blood coming out of a cut in his lip, and what looked like the beginning of a beautiful bruise on his right eye. His injuries were slight in comparison to the other boys. These kids showed no mercy.

Little Spencer was still fighting in Lucas arms to get to the other little boys.

"I HATE YOU!" He was yelling

Five minutes later Lucas found himself in the principals office with Spencer, sitting with his arms crossed in a chair next to him.

"Spencer's behavior today was completely inappropriate today. His lack of ability to control his anger has really become a cause for concern."

"He is being bullied!" Lucas said

"That is no excuse. On several occ-"

"I don't want to hear about what happened on those occasions. All I know is that Spencer WOULD NEVER attack anyone unless time and again provoked."

"This child was not provoked!"

"Says who? Everyday he got cornered by these kids and harassed. They make fun of him because they say that he has no father!"

"And if that is true?" The prinicpal said sternly.

"Are you trying to tell me it's okay! To a four year old kid all they know is someone is making fun of them and hurting their feelings, and while I am not supporting the fight, I am saying that you cannot expect four year olds to behave rationally!"

"Well my son is not the type of child to tease."

"Your son?"

"Tommy."

"Oh, I see where this is coming from!"

"Look. I think that Spencer should seek other pre-school to insure-"

"Fine by me." Lucas said grabbing Spencer's and leaving the school."

Lucas gripped the steering wheel tightly as he drove to the diner.

"Lucas, what are you-" Peyton began as she saw him… and then she saw Spencer "What the hell happened!" She asked angrily.

"I'll tell you what the hell happened. Spencer has been being bullied because the kids at school say he doesn't have a father."

"I cannot believe I let this happen." Peyton said putting her hand on her forehead.

"I'm alright mom, really." Spencer said looking up at her.

Peyton picked up her son and held him close.

"Any word on your car?"

"None. I really have to get to Florida though. By tomorrow at least. I'm Nathan's best man."

"You can take my car." 

"What?"

"It's a lend." Peyton said kissing her sons head. "Think of it as a thank you."

"But I will be gone for a week and a half!"

"I can take the bus!" Peyton said. "Or get a ride with Gladys. It's no big deal." Peyton said sitting in the booth.

"What about Spencer, he can't go back to that school!"

Peyton looked over at her small son, as he stared out of the window, head in hands…

"He can just stay here with me…"

"Or come with me." Lucas said meeting Peytons eyes.

"He'd be nothing but a bother Luke."

"You know that's not true. Besides, Jenny will be there too."

"Jenny? OH! Jakes daughter right…" She said remembering the little girl who loved her keys as an infant.

"Come on."

Peyton glanced over at her son. She really needed to tell Lucas the truth… about his father… She could always use this week as a trial period… see how Lucas was with Spencer… Not that she didn't know they were in love with each other already.

"Alright." She said. "As long as you take my car."

"I will take your car under one condition."

"What is that?"

"You meet me in Flordia."

"What Luke!"

"Come on. You would only have to stay for one day. I would pay for your train ticket and all, both ways! It would mean so much to have you there. And then you can also check up on Spencer. He will probably miss you. And then if he wants to come back with you at the end of the day he can. If not he can stay the other 2 days with me. What do you say?"

Peyton grinned slightly.

"Yes!" Lucas said hugging her. "You are not going to regret this!"


	7. Your voice is small and fading

Hey!

Shorter chap. I just wrote this as a quickie, because I am finishing up one of my stories "Teach Me to Believe in Something". Tell me what you think.

Xoxo HaLeY

Chapter 6: "Your voice is small and fading"

Peyton Sawyer sat in her apartment alone. This was her first night away from Spencer… at least she knew for sure he is in good hands…

Tears slowly ran down her face. They were silent cries of regret. Would Spencer have gotten into the fight in school had she told Lucas he was his father? What would their worlds be like? … Would they still draw in only black…

~ Lucas peeked into the backseat at Spencer. Lucas had arranged him awhile back so he could wear his seat belt while still lying down. His curly head laid atop his power rangers pillow, with a baby blanket lightly tossed over him. Spencers body drew out soft, even breaths.

Lucas watched the tail lights ahead of him on the highway… They were almost in Miami.

He wondered what Peyton was doing. If it weren't for her drawing he would have been hesitant leaving her up to her own devices for so long… Something had changed with her since high school, it wasn't just Spencer, and Luke was determined to find out what.

It was 6:00 in the morning when Luke pulled up at the Hilton hotel in Miami. He had chosen to drive straight through the night, only stopping for meals, or when he or Spencer had to go to the bathroom.

Lucas stepped out of the car and popped the trunk. He grabbed his duffel bag and went inside… He saw Nathan in the lobby.

"Luke!" He said greeting his brother with a manly hug.

"Hey man." He said.

"We were expecting you awhile ago."

"Yeah, … well I got stuck in Wexford-" Suddenly then he remembered he had left Spencer in the car! "Oh my god!" He said dropping his bag and running out into the parking lot where Spencer stood, pillow under one arm, and blanket in the other.

"Luke!" He said running over to him.

Lucas picked him up.

"I am so sorry Spence. I forgot that you were asleep in the car."

"Who's kid?" Nathan asked

"Peytons…" Luke said

"PEYTON SAWYER?" Nathan said in surprise.  


Later Luke and Spencer got settled in the room that they would be sharing with Jake and Jenny.

"Have you ever been to a wedding before?" Lucas asked

Spencer shook his head no. Right then Jake and Jenny walked in.

"Luke!" Jake said "Finally you are no longer MIA."

"Uncle Luke!" Jenny said running up to hug him.

"Hey!"

"Who's that?" She asked pointing to Spencer.

"That is my friend Spencer. Spencer this is Jenny and Jake."

"Hi." Spencer said.

"Hey." Jenny responded showing a missing tooth on her bottom row.

"Haley has been looking for you." Jake said sitting on the bed.

"Really?" He asked. "Is she around?"

"Yeah. Room 206. Want me to watch Spencer for you while you go see her?"

"You mind?" Luke asked rubbing his newly forming facial hair.

"No prob. Man." Jake said.

"I'll be right back Spence."

"'kay." He said

Lucas walked to room 206, and knocked gently…

"Come in." He heard his best friends voice softly call.

"Hey Hales." He said walking in

"Luke!" She sprang off of the bed and hugged him. And then shoved him in the chest. "Where the hell have you been?"

"What?"

"Well I figure since your best friend is marrying your brother, the only thing that would keep you from being the first one here was like… I donno Peyton!" She said all in one breath. She looked Luke in the eyes… "You ran into Peyton?" She said in disbelief.

"We don't need to talk about this tonight. It's a couple days until the wedding."

"I'm fine. All I've been hearing about is the wedding. Now what happened with you and Peyton?" She asked as they sat no the bed.

"Cold Feet?" Lucas said

"Don't try to change the subject." She said nudging his shoulder.

"I was in this diner, and I saw this boy, … anyway, make a long story short, Peyton works at the diner and the boy is Peyton's son." Luke said

"Peyton had a baby?" Haley asked in disbelief

"Well not a baby anymore, … Spencer is four."

"So she had to have gotten pregnant with him right before she-"

"Left." Lucas finished for her.

"Is he yours?" Haley asked jaw still ajar.

Luke put his head in his hands…

"I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Peyton won't talk to me about his father."

"Well did she say it's not you?" She asked

"Yeah but-"

"You don't believe her." Haley said grabbing Luke by the hair and pulling his head from his hands.

"You gotta see him Hales. He makes my puppy dog face."

"Ah the infamous Scott puppy dog face."

"And the way he shoots and dribbles… I mean, it's gotta be genetic." Luke said smiling.

"You really got attached to this kid huh?"

Lucas nodded.

"You got a pic?" Haley asked

Lucas shook his head no.

"He's down the hall." Lucas said looking her in the eyes.

"WHAT! Explain!" Haley said.


	8. And you hide in here unknown

****

Painfully short chapter but oh so worth it!

Xoxo HaLeY

Chapter 7: "And you hide in here unknown"

Lucas led Haley down the hall to his room. So many thoughts were racing through Haley's mind. Was this kid Lucas'? And if not what if he gets too attached? What in the world possessed him to bring him to Florida?

Lucas opened the door to see Spencer and Jenny sitting on the bed with Jake in between them.

"Back so soon?" Jake said

"Yeah." He smiled opening the door to let Haley in. "Spencer this is Haley."

"Hi…" Spencer said shyly.

Haley was taken aback by his voice. It was the same as Lucas's had been when they were little. It was deeper for a childs, and really smooth…

"You're getting married to Nathan?" Spencer asked

"Yup." Haley said looking at the child nodding, and then looking at Lucas.

"I'll be right back." He said as he led Haley out into the hall. "What do I do?" He asked his best friend

"I don't know… If I were you I would get a paternity test…"

"I don't even need one! Look at him! That boy is my son!" Lucas said a little loudly…

"I understand how you can see that…. But I just want you to be sure. You're my best friend and I don't want you to get hurt.

Lucas kissed Haley on the forehead.

"I'll let you get back to your wedding preparations." He said kissing her forehead, and the two headed their separate ways.

~ Wexford

Black… black, always black, dark… This was the first time that Peyton Sawyer had been left alone and up to her own devices or so long. Spencer needed so much, but she didn't care. He was her little man.

It was scary to her how much he looked like his father… Lucas…

Peyton ripped the sketch that she had been doing in half… She would NOT think of Lucas… He was her past.

Peyton had made a promise to herself long ago when she left Tree Hill that she would put her old ways behind her. The only thing that had remained the same was her constant love of art… and her clothes. Other than that she had reinvented herself, and added another layer to her wall… Now so was untouchable… unbreakable… But ever since she saw Lucas again something drew her in… pulled her back to the lonely 17 year old girl that only had her sketch pad, a web cam and a dream.

Peyton tried to aviod memory lane as much as possible, but it seemed some unearthly force pulled her off of the couch and led her to the hall closet… She lightly blew the dust off of the top of her box…

~ Later that day in Miami. Jake was out shooting hoops with Nathan. Lucas was going to join them with Jenny and Spencer as soon as they woke up… He sat at his computer working. 

Every time that Lucas signed on the internet he checked Peytons web cam… He didn't know if it was out of habit… hope… or if it was just to reassure him that Peyton was gone… 

And so as he always did Lucas directed himself to Peytons web cam, … and saw what he never expected to see. What he hadn't seen in so long…

Peyton's golden locks hung around her face, gently curving themselves around her shoulders and cheeks, onto her mid back… Her head was down… and she was focusing hard on the task in front of herself… the picture of Spencer and Lucas.

So slowly it came together, with the gentle to hard strokes of the pencil to make sure she got the shading just right. The detail in the pictures came out of her so naturally. The same details that would pain some…

This is the start of something… Life is about to change


	9. And your mother loved your father

Chapter 8: "And your mother loves your father"

Lucas stared at the screen hard and long… Peyton was back. Watching her, he didn't feel like he was a 22 year old, dealing with the trials and tribulations of life, but once again he felt a 17 year old on the brink of it.

Spencer sat up in bed, next to Jenny who just awoke as well.

"What's he doin?" Jenny, who was 5, one year older than Spencer asked

"Watchin' my mom." Spencer said

Spencer and Jenny watched the grown man stare at the computer with childish fascination.

"Is Uncle Lucas your dad?" Jenny asked

"Na uh. I don't gotta dad." Spencer said under his breath

Jenny paused and scooted closer to her new friend.

"I don't got a mom." She said. "You want Uncle Luke to be your dad huh?" Jenny asked

Spencer nodded, his bottom lip quivering.

"I can help you." Jenny said

"How?"

A smile crept over the small girls face, as her dirty blonde hair lay tussled on her head.

Lucas turned to see the small children sitting erect in the bed. He quickly shut off the machine.

"Hey guys." He said startled…

~ Later that day Lucas had to take Spencer out to buy a tuxedo for the wedding.

Spencer stared in the mirror at himself.

"What do you think?" Luke asked

"I look like a penguin…" Spencer said rubbing his nose with his shirt sleeve.

Lucas laughed.

"I think that you look nice." Lucas said

"Do I look ham-son?" Spencer asked twitching his nose, holding back a sneeze  


"Very." Lucas said fixing the little boys bow tie. "You feeling okay buddy?" Luke asked feeling Spencers forehead.

"Uh huh." Spencer said. "Mom says I got algees…" He said.

"I think that you should go back to bed when we get back. The wedding is tomorrow and we can't have anybody being sick. And I have a surprise for you."

"What?" Spencer asked

"Nathan wants you to be his ring barer."

"Was' tat?" Spencer said through his congested nose.

"You carry the ring down the isle and then give it to Nathan to give to Haley…" Lucas tried to explain.

"Why does he give her a ring?" Spencer asked

"To show her how much he loves her." Lucas said simply

"Are you going to give my mommy a ring?" Spencer asked

Lucas was taken aback by the question. He stuttered non-words for a couple of seconds before he could respond with anything…

"What would make you think that?" He asked attempting not to look the boy in the eye.

"Cause mom says when you lov' somebody it makes ya sad, an you can't look 'em in 'da eye no more." Spencer said

"Did she tell you that?" Lucas asked

"No, she tol' it to Gladys." Spencer s aid as if it were a "no-duh," statement.

"Come on Buddy. You are not looking too good. Lets head back to the hotel." Lucas suggesting successfully changing the topic.

By the time that they pulled up to the hotel Spencer was asleep in the backseat. Luke noticed a familiar car parked next to his…

"Mom?" He said as he got out, remembering Spencer this time.

"Hey Honey!" Karen said hugging her son, who was awkwardly trying to hug her back while still holding onto Spencer.

"Who is this?" Karen asked

"Spencer…" Luke said trying to find a better explanation. Karen raised her eyebrow. "Peytons son."

Karen nodded, seemingly not in the least bit surprised…

"And his father?" Karen asked looking her son right in the eye.

"… I don't know." 

Karen tucked her lips into her mouth.

"Tomorrow is Haley and Nathans day, we will talk about this after the wedding." She said.

Lucas nodded.

He went into the hotel room and changed Spencer into his boxer shorts. He was almost sure that the boy was running a temperature and wanted to keep him as cool as possible.

Spencer didn't move in his sleep. Which was strange. Many times down Spencer had almost fallen off of the car seat with all of his tossing and turning. Lucas beginning to get concerned sat with him on the bed. 

"Spence." He said propping the boy up and trying to get him to sip water.

Spencer took a small sip but was unable to swallow it… it just ran out of his mouth.

Lucas began to panic. Was this normal when a child was sick? He didn't know anything about kids! Was he just over reacting?

"Spencer, are you alright buddy?" Luke asked him pulling him into his lap.

Unsure of what to do next he wrapped Spencer in a blanket and ran to his mothers room. He knocked frantically on the door.

"Mom!" He said.

"Luke!" She said when she opened the door. "Is everything okay?"

"It's Spencer! I think he's like sick or something!" 

Karen looked at the boy covered in sweat.

"Let's take him to the hospital."

~ Peyton walked into the lobby of the hotel.

"I cannot believe that I am doing this." he mumbled to herself. 

It was then that she saw Jake in the lobby, holding a now much more grown up looking Jenny.

"Peyton?!" Jake said in shock

"Hey." He said, surprised when Jake hugged her.

"Wow!" She said stepping back and looking at Jenny. "It's been so long."

"Jen, that is Peyton. Spencers mom." Jake explained

"Yeah. Have any idea where I can find Spencer and Luke?" Peyton said glancing around

"… you don't know." Jake said

"Know what?" Peyton said anticipating bad news

"About an hour ago Luke had to take Spencer to the hospital…" Jake said.

"WHAT!" Peyton yelled

~ Peyton rushed into the ER to find Lucas and Karen sitting in the chairs looking worried.

"Where the hell is he?" Peyton said.

"He's in the back, the doctor is looking at him." Luke said standing up. "He's going to be okay, he just has strep, and an ear infection."

"I knew I shouldn't have let him come!" Peyton said clenching her fists.

"He is having a great time!" Lucas said

"Oh yeah really? Then tell me why my son is lying in a hospital bed!" Peyton said anger surging through her.

"Kids get sick!" Lucas said.

Karen was thinking back to when Lucas was a child. How he always got ear aches… just like Spencers…

"You can leave Lucas." Peyton said through clenched teeth

"I am not going anywhere! I promised Spencer I would stay." Luke said coming closer to her.

"I don't need you here!" Peyton said beginning to get a little louder. Luckily for them they were the only ones in the room.

"Why?!" Lucas said stepping closer to her

"Because! You have never fucking been there! When I was pregnant with Spencer and couldn't hold down a job anymore because I couldn't fit into the waitress uniform were you there? When Spencer was born and he wasn't breathing were you there? Were you there when he took his first steps? The first day of pre-school? His first words? I didn't need you then and I sure as hell don't need you now." Peyton yelled

"Are you trying to say Spencer is mine?" Luke said

"What the fuck do you think I am trying to say!" Peyton yelled and then just realized she had outed herself.

"All of this time Peyton! You didn't have to do any of that shit alone!" Lucas said backing up from her tears coming to his eyes. "I can't believe you lied to me! I HAVE A SON PEYTON!" … Lucas let the thought sink in. "God, … do you not have a heart?" Lucas asked "My son doesn't know me. I NEVER wanted to turn out like my father but look at me now! I am not going to leave him again. I will be RIGHT THERE by his side when he wakes up, and from this day on. I am going to make up the years that YOU took away." A tear fell down Lukes cheek… "I always knew you were cold but this was low even for you." Lucas said walking out of the room slamming the door, leaving Peyton sobbing with her arms around herself…


	10. Cause shes not nowhere to go

Hey all. Thanks for the reviews. This is a short chap but well worth it.

XOXO HaLeY

Chapter 9: "'cause she's got nowhere to go"

Lucas sat in the hall back against the wall, when Peyton came out… He looked up and met her eyes, as pained as his own…

"Why…" Was all that he said.

Right then the doctor came out of the room.

"You can go see him now." The doctor said

"Is he awake?" Peyton asked.

"No. He is probably out for the night. Spencer sleeps like a rock." The doctor commented. "His fever has gone down dramatically, you should be able to take him home tomorrow." The doctor said smiling and then walking away.

Lucas and Peyton timidly entered the room. Lucas, much to Peytons surprise, rushed to Spencers bed-side, and gently touched his hands.

Lucas looked at Spencer as though it were the first time… This was his son… 

As Peyton watched her mind drifted back to that day…

__

It was a mistake… 17 year old Peyton Sawyer thought as she held her knees to her chest and rocked back and forth.

"How could this have happened?" Peyton whispered to herself

She and Lucas had been together once… once… the night that she thought her father had died… Both of them regretted it… Lucas was dating Brooke for Gods sake! How could they have let it happen? How could they have been so stupid?

Peytons watched beeped, signaling to her that the test was done…She didn't know why she was so nervous. She already knew the results…

She held the test in a shaky hand and counted to three before she looked down…positive…

She could not even shed a tear. What was there to cry for? Her horrible life about to get a little worse? Lucas's future going down the drain? Her loosing her best friend? A baby about to be born into chaos? … maybe there was too much to cry for. She knew that there was only one person that she could talk to…

She could hardly steer the car straight on the road. How as she going to tell him? Hey Luke, remember the night when… And then before she knew it she was at his house. 

She turned the knob, hearing voices in the kitchen.

"Luke!" She called out.

"Peyton!" He said running in from the kitchen…

"Woah, what's all of this?" She asked noticing the smiles on Karen, Brooke, and Lucas's faces.

"He got into Colombia!" Brooke squealed giving her best friend a hug, before turning to kiss Lucas…

Peytons heart sunk. There was no way that she could tell him now… Not after all of this… How could she ruin his future?

"That's great Luke." She said hugging him, before she slipped out of the door unnoticed, and that was the last time that she saw Lucas Scott, … the father of her child, and love of her life…

The memories flew through Peyton like lightning bolts. Those memories were buried deep down inside, and she would damn herself if she were to ever think of them…

"He's beautiful…" Lucas said

Peyton watched Lucas run his hand through her… their… sons hair…

"I'm sorry Luke." Was all that she could say. "I am so, so, sorry!"

"Sorry is not going to give back those four years Peyton." Lucas said

"But Lu-"

"We'll talk after the wedding."

"Lu-" 

"After the wedding." He said coldly meeting her eyes.

The next morning Spencer was over joyed to wake up and have both Peyton and Lucas standing over him. The had to rush out of the hospital in order to begin wedding preparations.


	11. And she wonders where these dreams go

Chapter 10: "And she wonders where these dreams go"

Peyton watched from her seat next to Karen when Jenny walked down the isle. Growing up with Jake you could tell that she was not the most lady like, but you could tell that she was trying. She was followed down the isle by Spencer… her little man. Spencer looked at her and smirked the infamous Scott smirk.

Karen and Peyton had not spoken since the night at the hospital… She wondered what kind of bad thoughts were running through her head about her. There is no excuse for what Peyton did and she knew it. Although she did it out of the best intentions, she took away Lucas' chances to be a father.

Peyton watched Nathans face as Haley approached him… She never thought that he was capable of loving… Their past together had been rocky to say the least. He was proof that people could change for the better.

And Haley! She had come so far from the quiet self-conscious high school tutor. The best friend of a Scott brother, rather than the fiancée of one… well a few seconds from wife of one…

~ The reception

Jake swung Jenny around the floor. He loved her more than anyone in the world. Spencer sat alone at the table with his feet swinging back and forth, as he drew.

Karen had been watching Spencer for some time across the room. He was just sitting there alone, but he looked completely content, like he did it before. Karen didn't know about all of the time he spent in the booth of a diner.

"Hi." She said going and sitting next to her.. Grandson.

"Hi." He said not looking up.

"You did well in the wedding." She said smiling

"Thank you." Spencer said simply, staying focused on his sketch

"I am Karen, Lukes mom." She explained, to the child who now looked at her with Peytons blue eyes… "What are you drawing?"

"'s a baske'baw an' a' hoop." Spencer explained. "Luke tooked me out da' play." He said

Karen looked at the abstract drawing. She could tell that he shared the love of art like his mother, and the passion for basketball of his father… Speaking of them, where had they run off to?

"When should we tell him?" Lucas asked

"I donno." Peyton responded.

The two had found an empty closet with room enough for them to conduct their meeting.

"I'm heading back home tomorrow." Peyton said.

"We are talking to Spencer BEFORE we leave Florida. You don't have a choice in the matter anymore. I will be a part of my sons life…"

"Look Luke, you are going to be in New York and I am going to be in Wexford!" Peyton said

"It doesn't matter Peyton."

Suddenly the door swung open and the two saw Karen, holding Spencers hand…

"I am sorry, I thought that this was the bathroom."

Karen and Spencer both stood there in partial shock…

"What is going on?" She asked a little more firmly.

"We're talking." Lucas said stepping out of the closet with Peyton following. He scooped his son up into his arms. "Hey buddy, I've got some cool news for you." Lucas said smiling at his son.

"Wha'?" Spencer asked rubbing his still running nose.

"I'm your dad!" Lucas said

Spencer didn't respond for a moment…

"Really?" He asked not believing it.

"Really." Lucas said with a tear coming to his eye, proving to be the only verification that Spencer needed because he then threw his arms around Lukes neck. "I love you Buddy." Lucas said hugging his son even closer…

~ Lucas and Peyton drove back to Wexford together in Peytons car, seeing how Luke's was still missing. Luckily the fact that Lucas and Peyton were not on too much of speaking terms went unnoticed by Spencer. 

Before they knew it they pulled up at Peyton and Spencers apartment complex, they went inside, Lucas and Spencer hand in hand…

"Here is the bus schedule." Peyton said handing Luke a pamphlet. 

Luke was going to take the bus to the train station, and then take the train to New York.

~ **1 MONTH LATER**

Luke, Nathan, and Haley were busy decorating his new apartment. He gave up the bachelor pad for one with more room for when Spencer came to visit.

Haley and Nathan were flinging mint colored green paint at each other, as they painted what was to be Spencers room in the city…

"You are disgusting." Lucas said to the newly weds

"Shut up." Nate said as he kissed Haley and they got back to painting. Although they back now Luke knew they were still mentally honey-mooning.

Haley had picked out the color scheme and all of Spencers room. Nathan and Lucas just went along with whatever because Haley, being the only woman, was the only one with design sense.

Lukes new apartment was great also because he had familiar neighbors all around. Jake and Jenny lived two floors below him, and Nate and Haley one above.

They set up the new wooden bed that Luke had bought Spencer, and hung the basketball hoop to the wall. There was a tall wooden book self on the wall filled with books, and a desk under the window where Spencer could draw, and when he ot old enough do his school work. Luke went all out for his son. 

When they were done Luke took a step back and looked at the room…

"I love it." Haley said hugging Nate.

"Yeah." Luke said

"With luck we will get to do it again soon." Nathan said

Luke snapped his brother a look.

"Haleys not-"

"NO!" Nathan and Haley said at the same time

"I just meant if you have any other surprise children." Nate said…

**And right then the door bell rang…..**

He he he!!!!!!!!! You must now deal with my wrath!!!!!!!


	12. Cause the world got in her way

**Hey. I forgot to say this, and I cannot believe it, this story is written to a song, Acoustic #3 by the Goo-Goo dolls, which I suggest you check out to further understand the story all/most of my stories are written to songs. Each chapter title is a lyric.**

XOXO Haley

Chapter 11; "'cause the world got in her way"

The three stared at each other.

"I am afraid to get that." Luke said.

"Oh you guys are such dumb ass's. What are the chances that some one is actually at the door with Lukes kid?" Haley said rolling her eyes and leaving the room while Nathan and Lucas opted not to move…

Haley stomped over to the door and opened it to reveal Brooke staring back at her.

"Brooke…" Haley stuttered.

"Tutor girl…" Brooke said with a fake smile. "I'm looking for Luke is he around." She said.

"Um yeah… come on in." She said stepping back at the door, and almost fainting when Brooke reached around the corner and pulled a stroller from around it, and dragged it behind her into Lukes new apartment…

Haley left the room and hurried back to Spencers room where Nathan and Luke were waiting for her.

"IT'S BROOKE!" Luke said in disbelief.

Haley just nodded. Luke took a deep breath and headed out.

"What?" Nathan asked as soon as Luke was out of ear shot…

"Nothing, … I just hope that this isn't a trend with you." Haley said.

"HELL NO!" Nate shouted…

Luke went into his family room where Brooke was waiting, sitting on the couch smoking a cigarette..

"Hey." Luke said as he saw her…

"'s bee awhile." Brooke said

"What's up?"Luke asked nervously not daring to walk across the room…

"Remember that summer after high school graduation?" Brooke asked. Luke could only nod. "Remember that good bye gift I gave you?" She asked smoking still. Luke continued to nod. "I gotta gift for you." She said turning the stroller around roughly to face him. A little girl with her hair in two pig tails lay asleep in the stroller.

"YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!" Luke yelled. "First Peyton now you?" He said pacing back and forth. 

"You knocked her up too?" She asked plopping down on the couch. 

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!" Lucas said through gritted teeth. "So why did you come back after all this time then Brooke?"

"I can't take care of her." She said.

"What?"

"She is 16 months old. My Aunt took care of her from the time she came home from the hospital. Last week my Aunt died in a car accident and left her with me. I can't take care of my kid. I have a career to think of!" She said pulling out another cigarette, and lighting it up.

"What is her name?" Luke asked

"Logan Elizabeth Scott…" She said. "Her birthday is May 15. 's that all? I have a cab waiting down stairs. I can't miss my flight back to LA." She said standing up and grabbing her jacket. She hugged Luke… "Just… just tell her one day when she is older that I am sorry…" 

She gave Luke a small smile and then let herself out.

Luke stared down at the little girl in the stroller… Logan… Nathan and Haley joined him in the room…

"What do you think?" Haley said to Luke touching his shoulder.

"… I think I need more paint…" Luke said

Right then Logan began to fuss… Lucas picked her up and began to bounce her…

"ssshhh…" He said to her, and she began to doze back to sleep.

~ Luke made Haley and Nate leave soon after assuring them that he was going to be okay with Logan for the night. He carried her to his bedroom and laid her down. She was wearing a little pair of jeans and a pink shirt. He slipped off her pants, and changed her diaper… this was his daughter… He then tucked her in bed, and slipped in beside her.. 

The next morning Lucas awoke to somebody pulling on his nose. He groggily opened his eyes, for a moment forgetting that Logan was lying next to him…

"Hi." He said. She just stared back at him.

He lifted her off of the bed, and then they went to the kitchen. Luke looked for anything baby edible.. Actually anything edible at all. He had just moved in sso he had not yet had a chance to stock the cabinets. He resolved finally that if he wanted to eat that they would have to do so outside of the apartment. 

Luke stood Logan in the living room floor as he went to get her clothes. He dug through her bag. It was a good 70 degrees outside. He put Logans pants from yesterday on her, and found her a yellow shirt, and put a pink sweat shirt on over it… He looked at her hair and furrowed his brow… the pig tails were falling out and tangled from the night before… Figuring that he would make an already fragile situation worse he decided not to mess with her hair. It looked decent enough…

With a pacifier in her mouth, and hand in hand with her father Logan and Luke started out. But before he could open his door his phone rang… 

"Hello?" He said picking up the phone.

"DAD!" He heard an excited voice from the other end say.

"Hi Spencer, what's up?" He asked nervously, now balancing Logan on one hip as she tried to grab the phone.

"Hol' on!" Spencer said. Lucas head Peyton get onto the phone.

"Luke." She said.

The two had found common ground sometime after Lucas left Wexford. It had been a month since Luke had seen either Peyton or Spencer.

"Hey!" He said

"We're in the city."

"What?" He said

"We're in New York…" Peyton said again…Luke could tell that they were only there because Spencer wanted to go, and Peyton wanted to show that she is trying.  


"Where?" He asked…

"Outside your door." Peyton said in a pained tone.


	13. Whats the point in ever trying?

Chapter 12: "What's the point ever trying"

Lucas slowly put the phone back on the receiver. What were Peyton and Spencer going to say when she found out about Logan? No amount on contemplation was going to save him now. They were at his door… He had no choice but to open it…

"Hey." He said opening the door, holding Logan's hand as she sucked fiercely on her pacifier. 

"Hi Luke…" and then she noticed the little baby who clutched his finger and looked her deep in the eyes… "and company."

Spencer jumped in his fathers arm.

"I've missed you." Luke said as he hugged him. "Why don't you go back to the room with the open door?" He suggested

"Why?" Spencer asked

"Because," Luke said rubbing his curly head, "it's all yours!" 

Spencer's eyes lit up as he ran back in the room. As soon as he was gone Logan held her hands up to him signaling that she wanted to be picked up.

Lucas looked deep in Peytons eyes… he still loved her, he always would. But would the fact that he has Logan change it? Lucas picked the baby up.

"This is Logan." Lucas said. "My… um daughter."

Peytons eyes got big.

"But you said you didn't have any oth-" Peyton began but Luke cut her off

"I guess you weren't the only one with a surprise for me." He said

"Who is her mother?" Peyton asked, still not moving from the door way.

"Brooke…" Lucas said

"AS IN BROOKE DAVIS!" She yelled in shock

Lucas nodded. There was an awkward silence… Luke shifted Logan to the other hip…

"Look Peyton. We really need to talk. To sit down, just the two of us. Let me run Logan up to Haley ands Nathans place really quickly, and I will drop Spencer off downstairs with Jenny and Jake."

Peyton folded her arms over herself and nodded. 

Lucas first dropped Spencer off with Jake. Spencer had a lot of questions for him on the way down.

"Who's that?" He asked referring to Logan

"This… this is um, my daughter Logan…"

Spencer felt a twinge of jealously. He finally got a daddy and he wasn't going to let some stupid baby come and take her away… then again, she was pretty cute.

"So dat's my sister?" Spencer asked

"Yeah." Lucas said smiling. "What do you think about that?" He asked looking at Spencer.

Spencer thought for a second.

"Can we still play basketball?" Spencer asked him looking up

"Of course." Luke said to his son grabbing his hand

"Can we still have guys days?"

"All of the time." Luke said.

After that he dropped Spencer off. Jake had some questions about Logan that Luke answered as fast a possible before he had to rush upstairs to drop Logan off. He didn't want to keep Peyton waiting long. 

He knocked on Haley and Nate's door. Nathan answered in his boxers…

"Luke. You alright bro?" Nathan asked letting his brother in

"Actually not really. Peyton made a surprise visit." Luke explained

"What man? That sucks."

"No shit Sherlock." Lucas said as he handed Logan to her Uncle.

"What are you giving her to me for?" Nathan asked. 

"I have to talk to Peyton. I need you to watch Logan for like two hours tops." Luke said rushing out.

"What I don't know anything about kids!" Nathan yelled after him.

"By the way, she hasn't eaten yet!" Luke said as he jogged down the stairs leaving his brother stranded at the top of the stairs.

Haley entered the room to find Nathan holding Logan like a football.

"What's up with this?" She asked wiping her tired eyes.

"Babysitting duty." Nathan said handing her to Haley…. He stepped back noticing that she was holding Logan like a football… "Have you ever held a baby before?" Nathan asked

"Jenny like once when she was little whenever Peyton had her." Haley said. "Have you?"

"No."

She put Logan on the floor and she began to scream…

"This should be interesting." Nathan said.

Lucas went back to the apartment to find that Peyton had not moved an inch.

"Hey." He said when she came in. "You hungry?" 

She just nodded. Neither spoke to one another when they hailed a cab out on the street, or when they went to the restaurant for breakfast. They sat down at a booth, and Luke finally broke the silence.

"So…" Luke said looking Peyton in the eye. "What brought you to the city?"

Peyton didn't respond.

"I don't know how you expect to get anywhere not saying anything."

"Since… since you left all that Spencer has talked about is you and basketball! Luke, it has just gotten so hard. And I mean, Spencer could not go back to that school after the fight, and because I went to the wedding I have to pick up extra shifts and we lost the apartment." Peyton said almost in tears.

"It's okay." Lucas said as leaned across the table and gently held her hand.

"No it's not." Peyton said now for the first time ever that Lucas had seen sobbing.

He slid into the booth next to her.

"You and Spencer can stay with me." He said

"But you have Logan now and-"

"Logan is not my only child! Spencer is mine too. And you are one of my best friends! There is no way that I will leave you on the streets." Lucas said 

"You've been too good to me Luke." Peyton said palying with his hand in hers… "Thanks." She said choking back more tears.

"Of course." Lucas said, although he wanted to scream 'I would do anything for you! I love you!'… but now that's just a little uncalled for isn't it?

~ Haley and Nathan sat on the couch with little Logan looking up at them from where she sat on the floor.

"What do you think it eats?" Nathan said to Haley who sat next to him.

Haley shrugged…

"Yanno what we need?" She asked Nathan.

"What?" He asked

"Jake." She said getting up off of the couch and walking out the door. Nathan followed her.

They knocked on Jakes door. Spencer and Jenny were sitting at the kitchen table finger-painting, Spencer still only in black…

"Hey." Jake said letting them in.

"Let's cut to the chase." Haley said. "What do babies eat?" She asked

"What baby?" Jake asked looking around. 

Haley and Nathan began to look around frantically.

"WHERES LOGAN!" Haley said

"I THOUGHT YOU TOOK HER!" Nathan said

"No you did! I went out first and-"

Suddenly their neighbor old Ms. Jenkins appeared in the hall with Logan on her hip.

"I figured this belonged to one of you scatter brained kids." She said handing her to Nathan. 

"Thank you…?" Haley said. She knew that the neighbor hated she Jake, Nate, and Luke. She was convinced that they "disturbed the peace," in the neighborhood. But despite her distaste for the adults, she was civil to the children.

"Don't let it happen again." She said turning away.

"Need some help?" Jake said opening the door further and gesturing them all inside.


	14. Nothings changing anyway

Chapter 13: "Nothings changing anyway"

Peyton ordered another cup of coffee.

"So you were evicted?" Lucas asked

Peyton nodded.

"Three days after we got back from Florida we got a one week eviction notice on the door. I picked up extra shifts to try to get the money on time, but it turns out it didn't work."

"What'd you do then?" 

"Spencer and I went and stayed with Gladys for three… but I really didn't want to intrude. She already has six kids. So then we went to a motel for a little over a week… Then I couldn't afford it anymore, and Spencers medicine and all since he is always sick with something, … so we drove up here."

"Did you drive straight through, or stay in a hotel?" Luke asked

"I um… we slept in my car in a motel parking lot for two nights." She said quietly, blushing a bit.

"Well I am glad you are here." Lucas said sincerely. "I started to miss Spence so bad I was considering going back down to Wexford to stay." 

"Oh please. You' re nothing in that town from the moment you hit the welcome sign." Peyton said sipping her coffee.

"Is that why you chose it?" He asked looking her in the eye

"What?" 

"Wexford. When you left Tree Hill… because you don't have to worry about being anything."

Peyton shrugged.

"I drove the car right out of North Carolina… it was raining really hard that night… I hit a pot hole… got stuck right in front of the diner… turns out to be the same pot hole you hit. Nothing in that town is ever fixed… I guess cause there's not much to be broken besides the people… I went in, met Gladys, and got my job." Peyton said, talking of it as though it happened to someone else, and not herself.

"Was that all before Spencer was born?" Luke asked

Peyton shook her head no.

"Spencer was three months old at the time." Peyton said

"What did you do before that?"

"When?"

"When you were pregnant with Spencer." 

Peyton takes a long pause, and thinks carefully before she speaks…

"I never… I never really thought of myself as being pregnant… I mean I did, … but it, it never really felt real until I held Spencer for the first time… When I left Tree Hill I stayed in North Carolina… I slept in my car for about seven months, I got fired from my witnessing job because I could not fit the uniform. I had enough money to get a hotel room, but with a baby on the way I had to save up… I don't even know why. I guess even back then deep down in my heart I knew I was going to keep him…"

"Were you thinking about not?" Lucas asked surprised

"I went to this clinic… I was going to-" She clenched her jaw. "I saw so many girls in high school that got abortions, I remember swearing to myself that I would never be like them… I couldn't go through with it. I ran from the room before the doctor even came in."

Luke wasn't sure what to think. She almost got rid of his child without talking to him first… But she didn't. But that didn't make it okay, did it?

"The rest of the pregnancy I tried to tell myself that I was going to give it up… but I… I held him and I couldn't do it. I saw him and he looked so much like you…" She said beginning to tear up.

"It's okay." Luke said kissing her forehead. 

"No Luke… It's not." Peyton said.

"You gave him everything that you had!" Luke said

"I kept him locked up in a diner all day and worst of all kept him away from you!" Peyton said.

"It's alright." He grabbed her hand, and pulled her out of the booth tossing a 20 dollar bill on the table.

"Where are we going?" She asked wiping her eyes.

"To talk to our son." Luke said.

"Didn't we already?"

"The only time that you told me what you went through was during our fight at the hospital. The only thing that we told him about me being his father was when we came out of the janitors closet at the wedding. I bet he is as confused as we were."

Peyton nodded as they headed back to the apartment. They picked Spencer up from Jakes, where they found Spencer and Jenny playing Nintendo, and Haley and Nathan passed out on the couch. Jake had rocked Logan to sleep. They thanked Jake and then headed up to their apartment.

Lucas went into his room and laid Logan down, and then rejoined Peyton and Spencer in the living room.

"Hey." Luke said. Spencer was sitting on the couch in the middle of the room, with Peyton and Lucas sitting across from him, their chairs adjacent to one another.

Spencer raised his eyebrows in anticipation.

"What?" He asked

"Luke…I mean-" Peyton stared over "your dad and I have something to talk to you about."

"What's going on?" Spencer asked

"You and your mom are going to stay here in New York with me and Logan for awhile." Lucas explained. 

"Logan's gonna stay too?" He asked

Lucas nodded.

"She is my daughter."

"But shes not my moms!" Spencer said

"I know, it's kind of hard to explain honey." Peyton said

"I also wanted to tell you I am going to make up for everything I missed." Luke said to his son

"Where were you?" Spencer asked

"I didn't really know that I had a son, but if I did I would have been there."

"Ya didn' know me?" Spencer asked crooking his head to the side.

"No." Luke said rubbing the stubble growing on his face.

"Why not?" Spencer asked

"I never told him." Peyton said.

"Why?" Spencer said frowning

"A lot of adult stuff." Peyton said trying to put it how a four and a half year old would understand it. "We had a lot of stuff to figure out. Mom and Luke were younger than a lot of people usually when they have babies."

"Like you're t'enty-two and Dougs mom is 47..."

Peyton and Luke both cringed at the thought of a woman almost 50 trying keep up with a four year old boy. They may be young to have him but it was much better then being really old.

"Exactly." Lucas said

Spencer thought for a second.

"I can deal with that." Spencer said, trying to sound big before smiling ad then going off to his room to shoot baskets and color… maybe with a color other than black…

"How do you think it went?" Lucas asked 

"I think it went well…" She said as they both looked down the hall where Spencer just disappeared.

The doorbell rang, 

"who is it?" Luke asked before he opened it.

"Marcy!" The woman on the toher side said in an all too cheery voice.

Peyton raised her eyebrow and leaned back in her chair as Luke opened the door. A red head bounced inside and kissed him.

"Who is that?" The girl asked pointing to Peyton.

"Marcy, Peyton, Peyton, Marcy." Luke said nervously

"His fiancée." Marcy said smiling and flashing a huge ring…

Peytons jaw dropped.

****

r&r


	15. They press their lips against you

Chapter 14: "They press their lips against you"

"Hi!" Marcy said coming across the room, with her hand extended towards Peyton. 

"Hi." Peyton said shaking her hand with a fake smile.

Right then Spencer came running into the room.

"And who is this?" Marcy said smiling kneeling down to Spencers eyes level.

"My son." Peyton said picking up Spencer.

"He's adorable!" Marcy said smiling.

Now Peyton was kind of freaked out about this girls happy nature. 

"Um, I'm going to go and… see Jake." Peyton said to Luke who looked thankful.

He watched her as she left the apartment, Spencer in hand. Somehow after all that had gone on she was the same Peyton Sawyer from high school, from her dark, mysterious, closed off demeanor, to her clothes, to her hair…

"Hello! Eyes this way!" Marcy said as the door closed.

"Sorry." Luke said catching his breath…

Peyton knocked on Jakes door, silently knowing good and well that Logan was asleep.

"Hi." Jake said in surprise when he opened up the door.

"Hey. Mind if I come in for a bit?" She asked shifting her weight from foot to foot.

"No problem." Jake said.

"Hey Peyton!" Nathan said when he saw her. "Spence wanna come back and watch a movie with me, Jenny, and Haley? It's about some little fish that doesn't know where he is." Nathan said hand and mouth full of chips.

" Nemo?" Spencer said excitedly.

"Why not?" Nathan said heading back to the bedroom, with Spencer trailing close behind

"You hungry?" Jake asked

Peyton shook her head no.

"So what brought you down here?" Jake asked as they sat no the couch.

"Some bubbly red-head." She said through gritted teeth.

"Oh…" Jake said airily… "you met Marcy…"

"If that's what you want to call it."

Jake flashed Peyton a smile.

"Jealous?" Jake said sitting on his leg.

"NO!" Peyton said firmly.

Jake smiled again.

"Spencer's a great kid." Jake said sipping his coke

"Thanks. So is Jenny."

"Yeah, they grow up so fast." Jake commented glancing back at the door where Jenny was watching the movie

"I remember when I first found out you had her. I mean you were only what, sixteen or seventeen? You made it look so easy. It wasn't until I had Spencer I realized it was hard and more." Peyton confessed.  


"Why didn't you tell anyone why you left? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I guess I thought you had a lot on your plate already… I didn't want to bog you down." Peyton said looking Jake in the eyes.

"But you were there to help me with Jenny all of the time." Jake said

"I know. But that is because I wanted to be. I didn't want to guilt trip you."

"I wouldn't have felt guilty. You were one of my best friends if not the best. So you planning on staying in New York long?"

"Indefinitely maybe." Peyton said

"How come?"

"I lost my apartment. Don't have much else of a place to go. I didn't want to have Spencer on the streets."

"So you are staying with Luke?" He asked

"I'm not sure yet. Spencer is going to seeing how he and Luke are so close and all, but then he just found out about Logan, and now that I know about Marcy…"

"Why don't you stay here."

"Jake-"

"NO REALLY!" He insisted "You can have my guest room. No problem. And Jenny would love having a girl around for a while."

"Are you serious?" She asked again. The last thing that she wanted to do was come in and ruin their routine. It looked like Nathan, Haley, Luke, and Jake had a good thing going.

"Serious as a heart attack." Jake said with another smile.

~ Lucas sat feeling Marcy's eyes on him.

"So who was she?"

"Marcy, can you sit down?"

"Okay." She said straightening her skirt and sitting next to Lucas.

"Peyton is a friend from high school." Luke said simply, but as though there was more

"An ex-girlfriend?" She asked

"No. Peyton and I never dated… But her son, the boy that you saw her with today… he is mine…" Luke said drawing his words out.

"How could you not tell me!"

"I just found out!" Lucas said defensively "I slept with Peyton ONCE."

"Here comes the sob story." Marcy said rolling her eyes.

"Her mother died when she was little. Her dad worked a lot. One night there was an accident on a boat and they recovered body … they thought it was Peytons dad. I went with her to identify the body. That night we had to stay in a hotel… we ended up sleeping together. Both of us regretted it the next morning. Anyway, as it turned out the man in the accident was not her father. We went back home and acted like nothing had happened. A couple of months later Peyton was gone, and I never thought that I would hear from her again." Lucas said… "Until a couple of weeks ago when I saw her on the way to Nathan and Haleys wedding."

"So this kid is yours?" Marcy asked

Lucas nodded…. Marcy looked in her eyes…

"There's more isn't there?" 

"Um… Peyton's best friend back in high school was this girl Brooke. Brooke and I were dating at the time everything happened with Peyton and I… She never found out. Brooke was the wild type. She made me forget everything. After Peyton left we all did some crazy things. We broke up the end of the summer of our freshman year of college. She went out to LA to become famous. Last I checked the furthest that she had gotten was porn."

"What does that have to do with this story Luke?" Marcy asked becoming impatient.

"Two days ago Brooke came back… with Logan… my daughter."

"Luke." Marcy said. "This is becoming crazy."

"I know!" Luke said rubbing his fingers through his hair.

"Well are you sure that they are yours?" Marcy asked now meeting his eyes.

"Of course!" Luke said

"How do you know? Because of what these girls said? You said one of their mothers was in porn! Any girl would want you to be the father of their child. You would be the last person to abandon them. I think that you are being taken advantage of Luke." Marcy said

Luke had never thought about it before. He trusted Brooke and Peyton… well Peyton for that matter. There was no way that Logan and Spencer weren't his!

"No. I will not do that! Marc, they are my kids! I know that they are." Luke said

"Well if they are there is nothing to worry about is there? I love you Luke, and when I told you that I would marry you I vowed to take all of you, as is, … and if that includes two kids so be it. I love you regardless of the mistakes that you made." 

"I love you too." Luke said kissing his fiancée .


	16. And you love the lies they say

Chapter 15: "And you love the lies they say"

~ Nathan and Lucas were out on the court late at night shooting baskets as usual.

"So are you trying to tell me that Marcy wants you to get a paternity test?" Nathan said making a 3 pointer.

"Yeah." Luke said as he attempted to block the shoot.

"So you're cool with that?" Nathan asked bringing the ball to a stop, as they headed over to the bench to sit down.

"Well I don't have anything to worry about. Logan and Spencer are my kids." He said easily.

"Well lets hope." Nathan said under his breath

"What do you mean by that?" Lucas asked defensively

"Think about it. When you and Peyton hooked up it was a long time since she broke up with me. Maybe she had slept with someone in the mean time." Nathan tried to reason.

"Peytons not like that." He said shaking her head.

"Maybe, maybe not. And then what about Brooke. She slept with the entire school. For all I know I could be the father of Logan." Nathan said

"What do you mean? Don't tell me you cheated on Haley."

"Hell no!" Nathan said, "that kids not mine."

"Did you sleep with Brooke at all?" Lucas asked

"Yeah like twice, but it was when Haley and I were on a break those two times , and besides she knows about that! She had slept with someone else too!" Nathan said naively

"When you and Haley had a break…" Lucas said thoughtfully… "The summer of freshman and sophomore year of college!" Lucas said shooting his brother a glare

"That doesn't mean anything." Nathan said

"Like hell it doesn't! It means you might be Logan's father!" Lucas said loudly

"NO! Brooke told YOU that she was YOURS!" Nathan said now, almost to the point of yelling

"Maybe she really didn't know. Maybe I was the most likely because we dated throughout high school!" Lucas said looking at his brother

"You're wrong bro." Nathan said tossing Lucas the ball.

They got into Nathans car and drove back to the apartment in silence. When they got inside both guys were surprised to see Peyton with bags.

"Peyton." Lucas said.

"Take it easy man." Nathan said patting Lucas on the shoulder before he headed upstairs leaving Peyton and Luke alone.

"What's all of this about?" Luke said helping her with her bag.

  
"I am going to stay down here with Jake. I mean I am still going to be there to take care of Spencer and all, but there is just not enough room in your apartment for all of us."

"There is! We will make room." Lucas insisted

"Are you sure Marcy will not mind having another woman living with you?" Peyton said

Lucas was silent

"It's alright." She said "Jake offered anyway. Besides, he's a good roomie, and Spencer loves Jenny." She pointed out. Lucas nodded.

"Speaking of Spencer I need to ask you a question." 

Peyton nodded looking him solemnly in the eyes.

"I was thinking about getting a paternity test for he and Logan." 

"WHAT!" Peyton nearly yelled dropping her bag

"Are you out of your mind? Spencer is your son!" Peyton said, her voice shrill

"I know he is! I just want something documented."

"Want a document sign his fucking birth certificate!" Peyton argued. "You never thought that there was any chance Spencer wasn't yours. When I said he wasn't yours you said he was! What changed now?" Peyton asked

Lucas looked away from her

"Marcy." She said, lips pierced together. "Fine, I will do it."

"It was more for Logan anyway!" Luke insisted.

Peyton nodded.

"Whatever Luke." She said taking her bag from him. "I can carry it." She said looking at him, and then heading into Jakes. 

"What have I done?" Lucas said banging his head on the wall.

~ Nathan entered his apartment dragging his bag behind himself

"Hey. Long game?" Haley said as she sat on the counter eating ice cream out of the pint.

Nathan looked at the girl. That was why he loved her. She was so simple. He couldn't believe that she went for a guy like him, she was so smart and intelligent… but he was just so, … not.

"Yeah." Nathan said joining her on the counter, grabbing himself a spoon and digging in.

"What's up?" Haley asked mouth full of strawberry ice cream

"Nothin'." Nathan responded

"Come on, I know you better than that." Haley said nudging him with her shoulder

"It's just that… Marcy wants Luke to be tested to make sure that he is Spencer and Logans father." He explained.

"There's more." Haley said

"Luke has this theory that it is possible for me to be Logans father." He said looking at her

Haley froze mid-scoop…

"I told him it was crazy!" Nathan said "I mean, I only slept with her like twice!"

"You're treading in real deep water." Haley warned him shooting him a glare.

"I know." Nathan said putting his head in his hands.

"Just get tested." Haley said, to Nathans surprise

"What if she is mine?" Nathan asked

"I am not going to pretend that I am excited at the idea of another woman having my husbands baby, … but… but if it turns out that Logan is yours we'll work it out then." Haley said jumping off of the counter and walking to the door.

"Where are you going?"

"On a walk." She said simply

"Do you want company?" Nathan said beginning to get off of the counter

"No. I'll be back." She said gently closing the door behind herself

Haley walked up to the roof. What is Logan was Nathans? Would he still want to be with her or out his child first? Who was she to take a little girls daddy away if it turned out so? Would she be able to act as a mother to Logan? Teach her how to read? Braid hair? Dress? Respect her body? No, Nathan would take care of that one. Haley smiled to herself. Nathan was a great guy. She would never be able to leave him no matter what.

Suddenly she felt that she was not alone.

"Peyton." She said seeing the girl crouched on the far side of the roof smoking. "Yanno ever cigarette take 5-7 minutes off of your life?" Haley said as a statement rather than a question.

"What brings you up here?" Peyton asked the girl, standing and stomping out the cigarette butt.

"I needed to think."

"Yeah. Me too." Peyton said

"Nathan and Lucas think that Logan may be Nates." Haley said needing someone to talk to. It had been so long since they had another girl in the crew. Since Peyton and Brooke left it was she Nate, Jake, and Luke.

"Wow." Peyton said not quite sure what to think. "I'm sorry… But Brook told Lucas that-"

"I know." Haley said

"She's playing games with us all." Peyton said knowing her ex-best friend all too well.

"What do you suggest that we do about that?" Haley asked

Peyton shrugged.

"I suggest that we find her and torture her until she fesses up to whatever is going on here." Peyton said

"We should!" Haley said

"What! I was joking!" Peyton tried to reason

"It's perfect. We could be to California by Tuesday. We need to hear it from her!"

Peyton look at the girl. The idea was crazy… and brilliant at the same time.


	17. And I tried so hard to reach you

Chapter 16: "And I tried so hard to reach you"

"So you are telling us that you guys are just going to take a trip to California?" Nathan said as he looked up at Peyton and Haley who stood in front of he Jake, and Luke.

"Yup." Peyton said. "We need to get away for awhile." 

"How long is awhile?" Jake asked raising her eyebrow.

"Oh don't freak out. No longer than four days. The tests should be done by the time we get back." Peyton explained. "We can all see the results together."

Haley had not said much, she just looked at her husband who wondered what she was thinking.

"Well then, tomorrow we will give you a ride to the airport."

~ The next morning the girls were on their way to San Francisco where they found out Brooke's most recent residence had been. The guys thought honestly the girls were just trying to get away. They didn't know their true motives.

"I was thinking that you could stay down here with me while th e girls are out." Luke said to Nathan as he flipped a pan cake. He was making Spencer, Jenny, and Logan breakfast.

Since Spencer moved to New York he and Jenny had been practically inseparable.

"Why is that?" Nathan asked as a crash came from Spencers room.

"WE'RE OKAY!" Jenny and Spencer both called out at the same time.

"Well, it's more likely than not you're Logans father, where timing and everything is concerned. I mean, I am almost ruled out." Luke said

Nathan took a second and thought.

"What does that have to do with me staying over?" Nathan said with a mouth full of eggs.

"Well, I mean if she is yours you want to have some practice right?" Lucas suggested.

Nathan thought fro a moment and then nodded.

"I don't think shes mine but theres nothing wrong with me hanging here while the girls are out." He said simply

"I hate to break up the conversation," Jake said entering the kitchen holding Jenny by the back of her overalls, and Spencer by the wrist. "but if we do not entertain these children soon they are going to tear down the entire apartment complex.

"Well where do you guys want to go?" Lucas asked the two trouble making children.

"Canada!" Spencer said. He had no idea what a Canada was but it sounded fun.

"Anywhere else?" Lucas asked

"Um… FLORDIA!" Jenny said jumping up and down.

"ANYWHERE ELSE?" Lucas asked 

The two looked at each other. Spencer whispered something in Jennys ear. Jenny's eyes sparkled as she smiled up at the men.

"Spencer and I want to go to the zoo." Jenny said

Jake, Nathan, and Jake exchanged glances.

"It's just the zoo." Nathan said

"Yeah, how much harm can they do?" Lucas asked

"You have no idea." He said dropping Jenny who he still held by the overalls. "Let's head out and you guys can get a real taste of what it is like to be a single father."

"Alright." Nathan said standing up.

"Wait!" Jake said "We have to pack lunch first."

"Why?" Lucas asked picking up Logan who had wondered over to him

"Do you know how much food in those places costs? Besides, these kids stomachs are like black holes."

Jake, Luke, and Nathan spent the next half hour filling a cooler up with Arthur juice boxes, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, crackers, carrots, and celery. They also packed some apples, and a banana or two. They were ready.

~ San Francisco

Peyton looked down on the address on the piece of paper in front of her.

"Adult Works Studio." Haley read on the outside of the building.

"I cannot believe Brooke works here." Peyton said thinking back to her best friend in high school.

"I can." Haley said knocking

A greasy man with shaggy facial hair opened the door.

"Yeah?" He said, they didn't respond. "Y'all here for a job interview." He asked

"Um, no." Peyton spoke up, "we are actually looking for Brooke Davis."

"She ain't here." They guy said about to close the door but Haley stuck her foot in. 

"It's important. We need to talk to Brooke Davis."

The guy looked Haley and Peyton up and down…

"Hol' on." He said shutting the door. Seconds later another man opened the door.

"Follow me." He said.

Peyton and Haley walked through the different set, with people being filmed fornicating all around them, to a back room.

"Make it quick, she is going on in 15 minutes." He said to them.

They nodded as the man, almost like a bouncer left.

"Should we knock?" Haley wondered.

"No." Peyton said pushing open the door.

"AAAAAHHH!!" Brooke screamed. "Oh god you scared the hell out of me!" She said angrily.

Brooke was dressed solely in skimpy lingerie, and was covered in whorish make-up. She grabbed a robe to cover herself.

"Peyton, tutor girl, why are you here?"

~ New York

"I'm tired." Jenny said as she dragged along in the zoo

"Well you wanted to come here!" Jake said tossing his young daughter one his shoulders

The kids little legs tired out easily. Lucas already had Spencer on his back.

"I got the easy one." Nathan said grinning. He was in charge of pushing Logans stroller.

"This will be you one day." Luke said

"I'm hungry!" Spencer told his father.

"I'm pretty hungry too, you guys want to take a break and sit and eat?" Luke asked

"Yeah." Jake said.

15 minutes later they had finally found a picnic table.

"Great." Nathan said rubbing his hands together. "Who has the cooler?" 

"You do!" Lucas said not bothering to look at his brother, he had to make sure that Spencer didn't take a trip to see the penguins again.

"No! I gave it to Jake!" 

Both guys looked at Jake

"You never gave me the cooler!" Jake said holding both hands up.

"Yea, I told you to grab it out of the back of the car it was next to Logans car seat." Nathan said. 

"Daddy I'm hungry!" Jenny said pulling at Jakes shorts. He picked her up.

"Let's just go to see if they will let us out to get the cooler." Lucas suggested

" They are not going to let us out and then back in." Jake said

"Maybe they will." Nathan said heading off with Logans stroller. 

Jake and Luke looked at each other before snatching up one anothers children and jogging after Nathan. By the time that they reached him he was already arguing with the guard.

"What the hell kind of place is this! Look the kids are hungry!"

"I understand sir but-" The guard said reasonably when Nathan shoved him against a wall.

"NATE!" Lucas and Jake both yelled as they went to pry Nathan off of the guard….

Needless to say the group was escorted out of the park, and asked not to return. Nathan was lucky the guard did not want to press assault charges. 

~ San Francisco

"Logan, we need to know who her father is." Peyton said.

Brooke pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"What do you mean who her father is? I told you her father is Luke?"

"Are you sure because we're not." Haley said

"Oh look, tutor girl's got balls." Brooke said turning to face the wall.

"NO IT'S YOU THAT'S GOT THE BALLS BROOKE!" Haley said stepping closer to Brooke. Peytons eyes about jumped out of the sockets

"Look Brooke, we just need the truth." Peyton said holding Haley by the arm to make sure that she didn't lunge for Brookes throat.

"What is it to you?" Brooke said as someone knocked on her door.

"BROOKE! We need you out here now! You're on in 5!" The mans voice said.

"I've gotta go." Brooke said heading towards the door.

"Not until we have answers." Peyton warned her

"You will get them… I will be back in twenty minutes."

"So what you expect us to wait around while you get screwed!"

"Haley!!!" Peyton warned her

"If you want answers that bad you'll be here when I get back tutor girl." Brooke said heading out.

"I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS!" Haley yelled.

"Calm down, I am going to go find a vending machine to grab us some drinks at. What do you want?"

Haley didn't answer, she just paced around the room.

"Right, anything as long as it doesn't have caffeine." Peyton said leaving

~ New York

Spencer and Jenny sat on the hood of the car in the parking lot. Both of their faces were covered with peanut butter and jelly. Spencer and Jenny were grinning from ear to ear. Jennys pig tails hung lop-sided. Jake held Logan on his lap, legs turned out of the car sitting in the passengers seat, while Lucas and Nathan sat on the hot pavement in front of them.

"I still don't get what was up with the outburst man." Jake said feeding Logan her bottle.

"At least the kids don't seem too torn up about it." Lucas said looking up at the kids who were currently rubbing peanut butter and jelly in one anothers hair.

"DAD! I'm done!!!!!!!" Spencer yelled.

The six piled back into the car and headed back… they were only about a few miles down the road when they heard a "POP".

"Oh great." Lucas said banging his head on the steering wheel.


	18. But you're falling anyway

Hey! Sorry for the delay! I had to move out of my house 5 awhile, really long story. Anyways, my precious computer and I are back together again, and so here you are with a new story. I have decided not to use my pen name any more and switch over to my real name which is Julian. Yes I know that it is a boys name, and I am a girl, but it's just part of the appeal. Most of my friends call me Jules or Julesy. So from now on chapters will be signed:

XOXO Jules 

Ah, that felt good

Chapter 17: "But you're falling anyway"

"What was that?" Nathan asked from where he sat in the front seat of the truck, in between Jake who was driving and Lucas. The kids were in the back.

"We got a flat." Lucas said as the three men climbed out of the car.

"Well that's not a big deal." Nathan said "We'll just put on the spare."

"THAT WAS THE SPARE!" Jake said  


"What?" Nathan and Lucas said at the same time.

"I was taking Jenny to school last week and it went out. I've been working and Peyton came back so I have not had a chance to get another." Jake explained

"Now what the hell are we supposed to do?" Nathan said really annoyed.

"We can just call a two truck." Lucas said pulling out his cell phone.

~ San Francisco.

Peyton came in holding two cans of soda.

"Is that all you got?" Haley said as Peyton tossed her a can.

"Yeah that and two job offers." She said sitting down next to Haley on the couch.

Peyton shifted and pulled a leopard thong out of the couch cushions.

"EW!" They both said jumping off of the couch.

"I guess we shouldn't sit on the couches in porn studios." Haley said in disgust.

"So…" Peyton began "do you know what you are going to do if Logan turns out to be Nathans?"

Haley stood for a second.

"I don't know… I mean, Nathan is my husband and I love him more than anyone… but then again I don't know if I am ready for another child." Haley said

"ANOTHER?" Peyton said raising one eyebrow.

~ The tow truck driver came to pick up the truck from the side of the road.

"So when will it be ready?" Jake asked

"Tomorrow morning at the latest." The man said

"What are we going to do until then!" Lucas said "Nathan and I have to go take the tests tomorrow so the results will be in by the time the girls get back."

"There is no way to get it done sooner sir?" Jake asked.

The guy shook his head "no", as he got in his truck and began to pull off, leaving the three men and children on the side of the road.

"What now?" Jake asked looking around at the sun which had begun to set.

It wasn't like they were in the best part of New York either.

"Dad! Hab' to go to 'da bathroom!" Spencer said squeezing his legs together, hands between them.

"Never put your hands there in front of a lady." Lucas said pulling back his sons hands

"But she's no lady, she's a Jenny!" Spencer said grabbing hold of his crotch once more

"Yeah! I'm notta lady!" Jenny corrected Lucas, hands on her hips…

~ LA  


"Haley are you pregnant?" Peyton asked in shock

"I think that Nathan pulled off a Dan Scott…" Haley said

"Does he know?" Peyton

"No." Haley said shaking her head 

"He is your husband. He deserves to know." Haley shoots her a look that says "you're a hypocrite," all over it.

"I WAS 17! Luke and I weren't in love. I was not married, but Hales, Nathan would give the world for you and you know that."

"I just don't want to pressure him. I mean, we don't even know how to hold a baby. Babysitting Logan was the scariest experience of my life! And us having two? It's completely crazy!" Haley said trying to piece it all together. 

"You're right. It's crazy, and it's scary, and it's hard, but Haley I can't even explain to you how amazing it is too! The first time the baby looks at you, or it's first steps." Peyton said smiling remembering back to those days with Spencer.

"Yanno," Haley said beginning to smile, "Nathan used to say that he wanted eight children."

"EIGHT!" Peyton said "Obviously he's not the one pushing those things out!"

Haley laughed.

"Does it really hurt that bad?" Haley asked worried

"I bet Nathan will be happy." Peyton said changing the subject. "Lucas was incapable of loving until you…"

"What about you?" Haley asked

"Nate and I was just… well it wasn't even lust, it was just," Peyton paused and shrugged "sex…"

"EW! Last time I ever want to hear about you having sex with my husband."

Peyton held up her hands as if to surrender

"Hey, you can take him! I don't want to wreck the happy family." She said laughing and shoving Haley in the shoulder.

~ Nathan, Jake, and Lucas trudged twenty blocks, rotating children occasionally down the dark New York city streets until they found a hotel with a vacancy.

"Dude, Logan is leaking on me…" Nathan said holding the child away from himself.

"Where are the diapers?" Jake asked taking control of the situation

"I gave them to Nathan!" Lucas said

"No!" Nathan said, "I gave it to Jake!"

"I NEVER HAD IT!" Jake argued back.


	19. And you know I see right through you

Hey! There are only three chapters left in the story, seeing how there are only 3 lyrics left in the song. So is you have any requests it is time to make them… like now!

READ, REVIEW, AND REQUEST!

XOXO Jules

Chapter 18: "And you know I see right through you"

It seemed like forever before Brooke re-entered the room. Peyton and Haley tried their best not to think about what Brooke had just done.

"So what are you guys here for again?" Brooke asked walking through the door.

"You're daughter. I don't think she's Lukes." Peyton said

"Oh, all these years later and you are still going after Luke." Brooke said

"Jesus Brooke! We are not in high school anymore! We are adults! I am just trying to look out for the best interest of your child since obviously you are not doing so!" Peyton challenged her former best friend.

Brooke sat down on the couch and looked at her friends… well old friends.

"Look, I never meant to hurt anyone. Honestly I didn't. I can't take care of a child." Brooke said.

"That still does not answer the question." Haley said 

"The answer to the question is I don't know. I never went to the doctor when I was pregnant with Logan… I just kinda… I don't know. Winged the whole thing."

Wow. Peyton thought. Even when she was pregnant with Spencer and had nothing she had gone to free clinics. How could Brooke neglect a child like that? Even if she didn't want it?

"So you don't really know around what time you got pregnant?" Peyton asked

Brooke shook her head no.

"When Logan was born she was really small. Either she was born pre-maturely or I carried her the whole nine months and she was just under developed… We were not quite sure which."

Peyton and Haley both took deep breaths. That was the last thing that they expected to hear.

"Look, I don't want to screw up your lives. If it helps Nathan and Lucas are the only two possibilities."

Haley nodded.

"I love my daughter. She deserves better than me. Better than this life." Brooke said looking around. "The only thing that I ask of you is to not hold my mistakes against my daughter. I know that you and Nathan and married and all." She said looking at Haley, "but if she turns out to be his… just please, treat her like a mother would. And I know that you would Peyton, I mean, if she turns out to be Lucas's, whatever is going on with you and him. I know that you will be there for her because that is just the type of person that you are."

Both women looked at the floor and nodded.

  
"I know that it's not fair to ask you to go out on a limb for me…"

"It's alright Brooke." Haley said grabbing the door knob "We should be getting back now."

"See you around." Peyton said awkwardly to her best friend.

"Yeah." Brooke said nodding. "See you around."

Peyton gave her a weak smile before exiting behind Haley.

That night Jake, Jenny, Nathan, Logan, Lucas, and Spencer all crowded into the hotel room. Jenny, Logan, and Spencer all squeezed into the one bed, while Jake, Luke, and Nathan all tried to squeeze unsuccessfully onto the sofa bed.

Nathan woke up to find that his brother was not next to him. He walked to the other room to find his brother in the air chair by the bed watching the children sleep.

"Can't sleep?" Nathan asked 

"Nah." Lucas said

"Worried about tomorrow?" Nathan asked

Lucas nodded.

"I know that Spencer is my son. There is no question there. But I may be the father of another child too, it is just so much so fast, yanno?"

"Tell me about it." Nathan said. "I held a baby for the first time this week, and then found out that this baby might be mine! It's crazy how this world works…" 

"I guess we're turning into Dan Scott's." Lucas said

"Never. That's not us." Nathan said. "We would never leave our kids…" 

"So that means if Logan is yours-"

"I will take care of her." Nathan said cutting his brother off. "Sure it will be hard. But it is worth it. I see all that Jake gave up for Jenny… and he doesn't regret it a bit." 

"Yeah, Jake sure is Super dad." Lucas said laughing, looking at the make-shift diaper that Jake had made Logan since they forgot them. "But I'm sure it took him awhile to pick up." Lucas said

"Yeah." 

Nathan said nodding his head up and down.

"How do you think Hales will take it if Logan is mine?" Nathan asked

Lucas thought for a moment. As her best friend he knew more than anyone how unpredictable Haleys behavior could be.

"I don't know man." Lucas confessed. "But I don know that she loves you, and that… well I think that right there is enough."

"You worried about Marcy?" Nathan asked

Lucas shrugged.

"Stuff with me and Mar felt so right at one time in my life."

"Well you did ask her to marry you." Nathan pointed out.

"But then Spencer and Peyton came into my life. And Peyton, … god I thought that I would never see her again…"

"Are you trying to tell me that you want to hook up with Peyton!" Nathan asked

"Hook up, is so high school sounding. I don't know. I am just attracted to her. I love her."

"Do you just love her or are you in love with her?" Nathan asked his brother.

"I donno…" Lucas confessed. " How can I be in love with someone else when I am in love with Marcy. My freaking fiancée!"

"Maybe you are not as in love with her as you think."

"Who Peyton?" Lucas asked

"No. Marcy. Marcy is a great girl, I am not trying to say she's not. But you and Peyton have history." Nathan said

"Well you and Peyton have history too, but you're not in love with her." Lucas challenged his brother.

"That's because in high school, even when we were dating, Peyton and I never loved each other. Not how you two did anyway." Nathan explained.

"Oh my god…" Lucas said. 

"What?" Nathan said looking around.

"I am in love with Peyton!"


	20. When the world gets in your way

There will be at least two more chapters left in this story, and the last two chapters were pretty short you can expect a long epilogue. Please read, review, and request while you still can!

XOXO Jules

Chapter 19: "When the world gets in your way"

Lucas and Nathan paced around the doctors office the next morning. Jake was back at the apartment now playing "Mr. Mom," as usual to Spencer, Jenny, and Logan.

"Do you think that it is weird that the girls are not here yet?" Nathan asked his brother.

"Maybe it's better if they are not."

"Dude, I have a wife to loose here." Nathan said

"Well I have a potential … girfriendish person to loose!"

"Don't talk like that man until you break up with your current girlfriend, … oh, I mean fiancée."

"Shut up man!" Lucas said swatting his brother

"Hey I was just pointing out!" He said

"What were you just pointing out?" A female voice asked from behind them

Both men swung around.

"Hales, Peyton!" Lucas said "How was the trip."

The girls looked at one another and shrugged.

"Ah, nothing outside of the norm, we got drunk off our asses, had random one night stands." Peyton said all in one breath

"Speak for yourself skank." Haley said shoving her friend in the shoulder "No but seriously though we were offered jobs at a porn studio." Haley said in a matter of factly tone.

Lucas and Nathans blood began to boil.

"How much longer until we get the results?" Peyton asked

"About 15 minutes." Lucas responded.

The girls nodded.

"Well in that case, Nathan, can I talk to you?" Haley asked her husband

"Yeah sure." He said following her out of the clinic, and onto the busy city streets, where they took a seat on a bench. Nathan could tell that something really important was on Haley's mind by the way that she was twisting her fingers into one another. "What's wrong Hales? Are you okay?"

"Yes… I mean no, …. I don't know!" Haley said

"Calm down." Nathan said taking her hands within his.

"Alright I'm calm…" Haley said, more in order to try to make herself believe it than anything else. "I love you Nathan. More than anyone in the world. We have been together so long I can't imagine my life without you."

"Do you want a divorce?" Nathan asked

"NO!" Haley assured him. " I just want you to know how much I love you."

"I know that it must be hard for you now… now that Logan may be mine and all." Nathan said

"Yeah. It is. But I love you, all of you, and if that includes a child then so what. It's not Logans fault that she has been thrown into the middle of this… and besides. If shes yours it won't suck for our baby to have an older sibling." Haley said looking into Nathans eyes.

"Our baby?" Nathan asked… "Do you mean?" He said looking into her eyes.

Haley nodded and let a tear slip down her cheek, Nathan wiped it away.

"I'm happy about this." Nathan said

"Really?" Haley asked not sure whether to believe him.

"Really. Do you remember when we said that we wanted a whole football team?" Nathan reminded her

"… honey, that was before we realized that neither of us had ever held a baby."

"Well be that as it may HONEY." Nathan said mocking Haley. "How screwed up can they turn out when their mother is you? Together we'll make it right."

And they kissed…

Inside of the clinic Lucas and Peyton sat in an awkward silence.

"I have been looking for private schools to enroll Spencer in this fall." Lucas said

Peyton nodded.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked her

"How sorry I am…" She said, her voice trailing off

"Sorry?"

"That I kept Spencer away from you for so long."

"Peyton, that was the past. Spencer has me now, and so do you…" Lucas said turning to face her

"I do?" She raised her eyebrow

"Yeah you do." Lucas, they stared into one anothers eyes, and then Lucas leaned in to kiss her… Peyton backed away

"Marcy." She reminded him. "I am not going to be that girl again."

"That girl?" Lucas asked

"The one to break up a relationship. I was that girl in high school, the one that came between you and Brooke. That is how we got into this situation to begin with, and I can't do it again Luke. I can't be that girl for you, I can't be the one to help you escape from a relationship… you need to do it alone… get out of it first… and then maybe there can be something…" Peyton rattled off, the words rolling off of her tongue.

Lucas looked at her shocked. He was going to speak but right then Haley and Nathan walked in followed by a nurse. Lucas and Peyton stood up when they saw the nurse approaching.

"Mr. Scott, she spoke. By an accuracy of 99.999 percent we have found that you are the father of the child in question."

"WHICH MR. SCOTT!" Nathan and Lucas yelled at the same time


	21. What's the point in all this screaming?

**One chapter and an epilogue next. READ, REVIEW, AND REQUEST!**

XOXO jules

Chapter 20: " What's the point in all the screaming "

The nurse looked back down at her sheet.

"Mr. Nathan Scott." She said looking at Lucas, who pointed to him brother.

"Me?" Nathan said in shock. "She's mine?" Nathan said again.

Lucas gave his brother who was still in shock a big manly hug while Haley stood back in the corner, arms wrapped around herself protectively, unsure of what to feel.

Nathan looked over at his wife with tears in his eyes. She smiles a small smile and then went to hug him.

"We can do this." She whispered in his ear.

He nodded.

Lucas had never seen his little brother so venerable before, but he knew, in time t hat he would make an amazing father.

Lucas kept Logan that last afternoon, and went to pick her up that night in Lukes apartment. Lucas sat Logans last bag by the door. He held Logan one last time as his own.

"You're beautiful." He said bouncing her up and down. "I wish that you had been mine… but your daddy is a good guy. Anyway, I guess I am your uncle now… But don't worry, I'll be right downstairs." Lucas told her. Nathan walked in just then. "Hey man."

"Hey."

"Where's Hales?" Nathan asked

"On the roof." Nathan responded. "Don't worry, she won't jump, she's pregnant." He said taking is daughter out of Lucas's hands.

"She's what!" Lucas said in shock. Haley was his best friend. How did she not tell him.

"Yeah." Nathan said nodding.

"All of her stuff is in here." Lucas said handing Nathan the final bag.

Nathan nodded.

"I wanna show you something." Nathan said gesturing for Lucas to follow him up to is place. Lucas headed out behind his brother, who was holding Logan, now asleep.

Nathan pushed the door open to one of his two guest rooms… The walls were painted a pale purple, and there was a border with purple dancing teddy bears. A new crib sat against the wall, with a matching dresser, rocking chair, and changing table. Teddy bears were all around the room. The curtains were while lace.

"So this is how you spent your afternoon?" Lucas asked looking around.

Nathan nodded.

"Yeah doing this and baby proofing the cabinets."

Lucas smiled at his brother.

"You can do it man." Luke said

"I've got to." Nathan said. "I've got another one coming in 6 months." He smiled.

Lucas walked back to his apartment thinking of Spencer and all of the time that he missed with him. But there was on thing that he forgot to think about…

"Marcy!" He said opening his door to see his fiancée sitting on the couch.

"So how did the tests go?" She asked not looking up. He went and joined her, head down and all.

"There is something that I need to tell you."

"But the tes-" He cut her off.

"I am in love with another woman." He said

"Excuse me!" Marcy said standing up.

"Well it's not some random woman off the street! She is the mother of my child!" Lucas said.

"Lucas how could you do this to me? I loved you!" She said crying hysterically.

"I am sorry. I am! It just happened."

"Love doesn't just happen Luke!"

"With Peyton and I it happened a long time ago, it's been happening. I am so sorry Marcy. I NEVER in a million years wanted to hurt you!"

"Well you did." Marcy said. She turned and sat her ring on the coffee table. "You hurt me a lot Luke." She said before she left the building.

Peyton and Jake sat in Jakes apartment talking over coffee.

"So Spencer is asleep in the back with Jenny?" She asked

"Yeah." Jake said "Can't pull those two apart if we tried."

"This situation is just asking for trouble." Peyton said laughing

"Do you believe that you can meet your soul mate when you are young?" Jake asked taking a sip of his coffee.

"I believe that you can meet your soul mate in the womb." Peyton said

"You mean that your soul mate could be your brother or sister?" Jake asked

They laughed.

"YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN! You can meet your soul mate whenever." She said

"Do you think that Lucas is your soul mate?" He asked

"This conversation is so over!" She said laughing.

"No really though. Do you think that he is?"

Peyton shrugged.

"Today he tried to kiss me…" She said

"Did you kiss him back?"

"No. He is still engaged to Marcy. I don't want to be the "other" girl again."

"Well I don't think that you are going to have to be "that girl", much longer." Jake said s smiling.

****

I know Haley wasn't in it but she will have a big part in the next chapter.


	22. You're not listening anyway

Hey! This is the final chapter, but don't worry, there will be an epilogue. Read and Review! I love you all. Thank you for the support!

XOXO Jules

Chapter 21: "You're not listening anyway"

Haley entered the apartment to hear a soft humming coming from one of the back bedrooms. Was it Nathan? Who knew that he could actually carry a tune? She wandered over to the door to where the sound was coming from and peeked inside. Nathan was sitting in the rocking chair with Logan in his arms. The sight made Haleys heart skip a beat.

"Hey." He said standing up.

For the first time Haley noticed the resemblance between the father and child. She had his nose, and even his ears. She just thought that they were Scott traits before when she was "Luke's daughter", but now she knew that they came from her real father, Nathan.

"Hey." She said watching him gently place the toddler in her crib. "How are you doing?"

Nathan glanced back at the sleeping child.

"Amazing actually, a little scared though knowing that we are gonna have another one of these pretty soon." Nathan said walking over the Haley and grabbing her hand leading her out into the living room where they would not disturb Logan.

Spencer walked into the living room where Peyton and Jake were still talking.

"Mamma." He said. He was wearing one of Jakes old Hawks jerseys and it dragged behind him on the ground. The little boy rubbed his eyes.

"Hey sleepy." She said picking him up. Spencer rested his head against his mothers shoulder. She looked at Jake. "I think that I am going to go put him to bed in his room." She said getting up.

"Alright, goodnight. Are you sleeping here tonight?" Jake asked since she had been staying there since there was a lack of room in Lukes place, but now Logan was with Nathan he had a spare room.

"I should be." Peyton said with Spencer in her arms, she was now by the door.

"If not I will know that you and Luke shacked up."

Peyton blushed a deep red.

"Excuse you!" She said laughing and letting herself out. The mood was quite different though when she entered Lucas's apartment. He was sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "What's wrong?" She asked moving sleeping Spencer onto her other hip.

"Lay Spencer down and we can talk." Lucas offered.

Peyton nodded and then laid Spencer down, careful not to wake him, and then headed back to the living room. The clock blinked 1:00 am.

"What's going on?" She asked sitting on the couch next to Peyton.

"I broke of my engagement to Marcy."

"Because of me?" Peyton asked feeling guilty for the whole thing

"Because I love you."

"HUH?" Peyton said, shocked by his confession

"I love you. I have since high school. I loved you when I saw you in the diner, or when you were caked with mud in the rain, when you were sketching. I love you Peyton, all of you…"

"I love you too Luke." She confessed. When he leaned in and kissed her this time she didn't pull away.

The next morning Lucas woke up beside Peyton in his bed. Her head rested on his chest. Luke watched it as it slowly rose and fell in sync with his breathing. His hands played lazily in her blonde curls. Luke kissed her one last time before heading out to the living room where he found Spencer sitting at the table munching cereal.

"Hey Kid." Lucas said kissing his sons head.

"Hi dad." Spencer said "Can we go play basketball today?" He asked smiling.

"Yeah. Right after we go check out a new school for you."

"I don't like that place. You can't make me go!" He said attempting to stand his ground the best possible, well for a four year old anyway.

"It won't be like your old school."

"But the kids teased me! They say I don't have a dad."

"That was before I was around Spence. I am here now. And your first day I will walk you in, with your mom, and all of the kids will see that you have both of your parents right there with you." Lucas said kneeling down to kids sons level

Spencer sighed.

"Promise?" He asked.

"Of course. And you know what? Jenny will be there." Luke winked at his little boy, who at mention of Jenny got a small smirk on his face.

"Alright." Spencer said giving into to his father. "Is mom at Jake's now?" Spencer asked while Lucas corrected his hand so that he was holding his spoon correctly.

"She actually stayed here last night." Lucas said. "She um, …she slept in the extra room."

"Oh." Spencer said. He wore a pair of blue jeans, and a grey hooded sweatshirt, a spitting image of his father, curly hair excluded. "So now Logan's my cousin and lives with Uncle Nate is mommy going to stay here with us!" Spencer asked hopeful.

"I don't know kid." He said taking his hand, and the two headed out to the court.

Peyton turned over in bed. Luke's scent was all around her. Had she and Lucas really slept with one another? It should be weird right… after Spencer and all it should be… so why isn't it? Sometimes things just made sense no matter how strange it was… when you were love anyways…

Nathan knocked on Lukes door later that afternoon. He was surprised when Peyton answered in a bath robe.

"Peyton, oh, I'm um, … sorry. Um, is Luke around?"

"No sorry, he went out with Spencer to take him to play basketball." Peyton informed him tucking the robe around herself.

"Well don't make any plans for dinner tonight. Hales and I are having a picnic on the roof for all of us."

"What for?" Peyton asked smiling

Nathan looked her over, obviously something was going on with she and Lucas.

"New beginnings I guess." Nathan said smiling at his brothers … girl…

Peyton smiled at her ex.

"Sounds good to me."

That night everyone gathered on the roof of the apartment.

Peyton and Haley sat at the table talking, while the guys all congregated around the barbecue. Spencer and Jenny had fallen asleep smack in the middle of the garden on the roof while they were looking up at clouds seeing what shapes they made.

Haley sat with little Logan on her lap.

"How has she been?" Peyton asked playing with the baby's hand.

"Good." Haley said kissing the top of the child's head.

"How have you been?" Peyton asked Haley.

"Really good."

"So you're cool with Logan and Nathan now."

Haley thought for a second looking down at the little girl.

"Let's just say that Brooke had a point. You cannot blame and innocent child for their parents mistakes. Besides, soon enough I will have a child, this will be good practice!" Haley said smiling.

"You're a good man Charlie Brown."

"Nathan wants eight kids."

"Do you?"

"No." Haley said, Peyton raised her eyebrow, "I want nine!"

"Ah, that is what you say until you give birth." Peyton said glancing at her son.

"But isn't it worth it?" Haley asked watching Peyton gaze over at her son.

"Yeah, totally."

The men came over with plates full of hamburgers and hot dogs.

"What are you, feeding a small army?" Peyton said sarcastically.

Lucas kissed her on her cheek, and took a seat beside her. This didn't go unnoticed by everybody else who grinned to themselves at the exchange.

They all ate talking about their upcoming year, kids, … school. After they were done Haley sat on Nathans lap holding Logan. Peyton sat, head on Luke's shoulder, Luke had Spencer on his lap. Jake laid in front of the group, with Jenny sitting on is stomach. He was pointing out the stars… and as they all gazed at the sky a single Hawk flew over.

** Why is it over? WHY! Epilogue soon!**

****

** xoxo Jules**


	23. epilogue

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EPILOGUE

7 1/2 year from where we last saw them… Lucas, Peyton, Jake, Nathan and Haley all live in up state New York.

Nathan is an engineer that works for a large business in the city. Haley runs a café down the street from the house called "Haley's". They live in a three floor house… they need the room for their seven children. Nathan got his basketball team. They have Logan Scott now nine who's biological mother is Brooke, Hannah Elizabeth Scott eight, who Haley was pregnant with when they found out that Nathan was Logans father. Cassidy Faith six was born two years later. Soon thereafter was Rebecca Charity, who is now five, followed by Kylie Rhea four, and then twins only two months ago Gabriel Nathan, and Jacob Lucas. Haley and Nathan planned for a football team, but they never planned for the chaos that came with it.

Peyton and Lucas barely live down the street. They wanted to keep the kids close to one another. Peyton has an art studio in the house from which she sells her work, which has become quite a hot item in the city. Lucas works at an auto shop following in the footsteps of Keith. Even after all of his college education. The couple was now married with four children, Spencer included. Spencer is 12 now. All that he does is play basketball and draw. Now he uses more than just black, although he favors it. 8 year old Cody Alexandra was a result of the night of Peyton and Lucas's make-up sex after he broke up with Marcy. They all find it strange that the first two times that they slept together Peyton got pregnant. They held off on more children for the next 3 years, and then had Tessa Katherine, now five years old. Tessa was really close with her little brother Gunner Paige, four. Gunner was small for his age, but just as fierce as a bulldog.

Jake and Jenny live in an apartment close to everyone. Jenny just turned 13, and she and Spencer are still close. Jake works at a computer management company in the city, where he gets paid a VERY impressive salary.

Nathan turned over in bed. He and Haley could hear a small rumbling coming from the hallway.

"The beast's are awake." Haley said turning over pulling the pillow over her head.

"God help us." Nathan said.

"MOM DAD!" Cassidy said jumping on the bed.

"Yeah! Wake up! It's Christmas!" Kylie Rhea said.

"Quiet or you will wake up the babies!" Nathan said… and then they heard a high pitched cry "Nevermind." He said picking up Kylie and then following a drowsy Haley to Gabe and Jacobs room.

Peyton and Lucas sat on the couch.

"Ever think that they will wake up?" Lucas asked glancing at his watch that read 9:00...

"Our children are strange." Peyton said. Then four year old Gunner appeared in the hallway holding hands with Cody who was eight. The two running down the hall. They jumped on their parents.

"Merry Christmas." Peyton said to the children.

"Can I open' 'em now?" Gunner asked looking under the tree.

Peyton and Lucas looked at one another.

"Why not." Lucas said.

Right then five year old Tess came out yawning, dragging a blanket behind her. She had strong dimples, regardless of what face she was making.

"Morning." Lucas said picking up the little girl who held her head on his shoulder. "Want to open presents?" He asked.

She nodded getting down.

"Where's Spence?" She asked looking around.

Lucas looked at Peyton.

"I'll get him." She said

Christmas morning was a little less hectic with Jake and Jenny.

"Morning dad." Jenny said as Jake entered the kitchen.

"Hey sweetie. Breakfast smells good." She was making breakfast for them on the stove.

"Thank you. Now sit down!" Jenny ordered smiling.

"Yes mam." Jake said sitting.

"Merry Christmas." Jenny said putting the plate in front of him.

"Merry Christmas honey."

That night they all met at Nathan and Haleys for Christmas dinner. Karen and Keith could not get into New York because of a huge snow storm. After they ate all of the kids played out side, besides Jacob, Gabe, and Tessa. Nathan held Gabe, while Haley had Jacob. Tessa watched the other children sadly out of the window. She could not go and play. The doctors did not know what was wrong with her. All they could figure was that it was a sever immune deficiency. She was particularly susceptible to every illeness, and extreme cold or heat only increased the likelihood of her becoming ill. Spencer and Jenny came back inside to the sad little girl.

"Come on." Jenny said holding out her hand to Tessa…

"Yeah." Spencer said.

"We're going to go watch Shrek 2." Jenny said.

"Aw man. That movie came out before I was born!" Tessa said as they dragged her down the hallway. Inside she was secretly happy because she didn't have to be alone…

Back at the table

"Hey Nathan, where's your litter?" Peyton asked

"Out in the snow. Hopefully not back for awhile." He said looking at Haley who rolled his eyes.

"You wanted the football team!" She blamed him laughing

"You did too!" Nathan argued back.

"I am good with the four that I have. Two boys two girls. What more could I ask for?" Lucas said kissing Peytons head.

Jake smiled at his friend.

"You could ask for anything more." Jake said. "Because in this moment we have all that we need." He said holding up his wine glass.

The others followed in suit silently as a fire blazed and the dim light from the tree illuminated the room. They all knew no matter how sad or chaotic things could be, this was all that they needed… now and forever…


End file.
